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. — 




















BLACK IVORY 


& Eale of cnturc 


AMONG THE SLAVERS OF EAST AFRICA. 


BY R M. BALLANTYNE, 

author of “post haste “in THE track of the troops;” “the settler ant 

THE SAVAGE j” “UNDER THE WAVES;” “ RIVERS OF ICE ;” “THE PIRATE CITY ;” 
“THE NORSEMEN IN THE WEST;” “THE IRON HORSE;” “THE FLOATINO 
LIGHT “ ERLINO THE BOLD f “ FIGHTING THE FLAMES 
“ SHIFTING WINDS j” “ DEEP DOWN “ THE LIGHTHOUSE ;” 

“ THE LIFEBOAT ;” “ GASCOYNE j” “ THE 

GOLDEN DREAM,” ETC. ETC. 


L 

SBith illustrations. 



NEW YORK: 

THOMAS NELSON & SONS, 

No. 33 EAST 17th STREET (UNION SQUARE), 
































PREFACE. 


writing this book, my aim has been to give a 
picture in outline of the Slave-Trade as it exists 
e present time on the east coast of Africa, 
order to this, I have selected from the most 
worthy sources what I believe to be the most 
Lg points of “ the trade,” and have woven these 
her into a tale, the warp of which is composed 
ick cords of fact ; the woof of slight lines of 
n, just sufficient to hold the fabric together, 
geration has easily been avoided, because — as 
ivingstone says in regard to the slave-trade — 
ggeration is impossible.” 
the reader’s taste should be offended by find- 
the tragic and comic elements in too close 
mity, I trust that he will bear in remembrance 
“ such is life,” and that the writer who would 
ue to life must follow, not lead, nature, 
have to acknowledge myself indebted to Dr. 


IV 


PREFACE. 


Ryan, late Bishop of Mauritius ; to the Rev. Charles 
New, interpreter to the Livingstone Search Expedi- 
tion ; to Edward Hutchinson, Esq., Lay Secretary 
to the Church Missionary Society, and others, for 
kindly furnishing me with information in connexion 
with the slave-trade. 

Besides examining the Parliamentary Blue-books 
which treat of this subject, I have read or consulted, 
among others, the various authoritative works to 
which reference is made in the foot-notes sprinkled 
throughout this book, — all of which works bear the 
strongest possible testimony to the fact that the 
horrible traffic in human beings is in all respects as 
bad at the present time on the east coast of Africa 
as it ever was on the west coast in the days of 
Wilberforce. 

I began my tale in the hope that I might produce 
something to interest the young (perchance, also, the 
old) in a most momentous cause, — the total aboli- 
tion of the African slave-trade. I close it with the 
prayer that God may make it a tooth in the file 
which shall eventually cut the chain of slavery, and 
set the black man free. 

R. M. BALLANTYNE. 


1873. 


CONTENTS 


PAGE 

CHAP. I. — SHOWS THAT A GOOD BEGINNING MAY SOMETIMES 

BE FOLLOWED BY A BAD ENDING, . . .1 

II.— YOOSOOF’S “ BlACK IVORY,” 24 

IH.— RELATES THE FURTHER ADVENTURES OF HAROLD 
AND DISCO, AND LIFTS THE CURTAIN A LITTLE 
HIGHER IN REGARD TO THE SLAVE-TRADE, . . 46 

IV.— IN WHICH OUR HEROES SEE STRANGE SIGHTS AT 
ZANZIBAR, AND RESOLVE UPON TAKING A BOLD 
STEP, 67 

V.— IN WHICH THE TRAVELLERS ENJOY THEMSELVES 
EXTREMELY, AND DISCO LILLIHAMMER SEES 
SEVERAL ASTONISHING SIGHTS, .... 87 

VI. — DESCRIBES SEVERAL NEW AND SURPRISING IN- 

CIDENTS, WHICH MUST BE READ TO BE FULLY 
APPRECIATED, 106 

VII. — ENEMIES ARE CHANGED INTO FRIENDS— OUR 

TRAVELLERS PENETRATE INTO THE INTERIOR OF . 

THE LAND, 128 

VIII.— RELATES ADVENTURES IN THE SHIRE VALLEY, AND 

TOUCHES ON ONE OR TWO PHASES OF SLAVERY, . 142 

IX. — IN WHICH A SAVAGE CHIEF ASTONISHES A SAVAGE 

ANIMAL, . 165 

X. — DESCRIBES AFRICAN DOMESTICITY, AND^ MANY 

OTHER THINGS RELATIVE THERETO, BESIDES 
SHOWING THAT ALARMS AND FLIGHTS, SUR- 
PRISES AND FEASTS, ARE NOT CONFINED TO PAR- 
TICULAR PLACES, 173 


VI 


CONTENTS 


PAGE 

CHAP. XI. — REVEALS DISCO’S OPINIONS ABOUT SAVAGES, AND 
THE SAVAGES’ OPINIONS OF DISCO, AND OTHER 
WEIGHTY MATTERS, 191 

XII. — DESCRIBES A HUNTING EXPEDITION WHICH WAS 

BOTH EXCITING AND SUCCESSFUL, . - • 206 

XIII. — THE ENCAMPMENT AND THE SUPPER— DISCUSSIONS, 

POLITICAL AND OTHERWISE— KAMBIRA RECEIVES 
A SHOCK, AND OUR WANDERERS ARE THROWN 
INTO PERPLEXITY, 229 

XIV. — CAMPING, TRAVELLING, SHOOTING, DREAMING, 

POETIZING, PHILOSOPHIZING, AND SURPRISING IN 
EQUATORIAL AFRICA, 244 

XV. — SHOWS SOME OF THE EFFECTS OF THE SLAVE-TRADE 

AT THE FODNT AIN-HEAD, 263 

XVI.— TREATS OF LOVE, HATRED, AND SORROW, AND 
PROVES THAT SLAVERY AND ITS CONSEQUENCES 


ARE NOT CONFINED TO BLACK MEN AND WOMEN, 279 

XVH.— STRONG MEASURES LEAD TO UNEXPECTED DIS- 
COVERIES, , 297 

XVIII.— DESCRIBES SOME OF THE DOINGS OF YOOSOOF AND 
HIS MEN IN PROCURING BLACK IVORY FROM THE 
INTERIOR OF AFRICA, 304 

XIX.— TELLS OF MISFORTUNES THAT BEFELL OUR WANDER- 
ERS ; OF FAMILIAR TOYS UNDER NEW ASPECTS, 

ETC., 322 

XX. — HAROLD APPEARS IN A NEW CHARACTER, AND TWO 

OLD CHARACTERS RE-APPEAR TO HAROLD, . . 340 

XXL — PROGRESS OF THE SLAVE-GANG — THE DEADLY 

SWAMP, AND THE UNEXPECTED RESCUE, . . 357 

XXII. — DESCRIBES “ BLACK IVORY” AT SEA, . . .370 

XXIII.— THE REMEDY, 387 

XXIV.— TELLS OF SAD SIGHTS, AND SUDDEN EVENTS, AND 

UNEXPECTED MEETINGS, 392 

XXV.— THE LAST, . 405 


LIST OF ILLU STKATIONS. 


ATTACKED BY A HIPPOPOTAMUS (p. 113), . Frontispiece 
VIGNETTE. 

A BLENNY-FIGHT, to face page 96 

DISCO MOUNTS GUARD OVER AN ELEPHANT, . 222 

THE SLAVE-GANG, . 265 

YAMBO’S JUMPING-JACK, ...... 338 










I 


\ 









I 




. t 
































\ 



















BLACK IYORY. 


CHAPTER I. 

SHC WS THAT A GOOD BEGINNING MAY SOMETIMES BE FOLLOWED BY 
A BAD ENDING. 

“ Six feet water in the hold, sir ! ” 

That would not have been a pleasant announce- 
ment to the captain of the ‘ Aurora ’ at any time, 
but its unpleasantness was vastly increased by the 
fact that it greeted him near the termination of 
what had been, up to that point of time, an exceed- 
ingly prosperous voyage. 

“ Are you sure, Davis ? ” asked the captain ; “ try 
again.” 

He gave the order under the influence of that 
feeling which is styled “ hoping against hope,” and 
himself accompanied the ship’s carpenter to see it 
obeyed. 

* Six feet two inches,” was the result of this 
investigation. 

The vessel, a large English brig, had sprung a 
A 


% 


2 


BLACK IVORY. 


leak, and was rolling heavily in a somewhat rough 
sea off the east coast of Africa. It was no consola- 
tion to her captain that the shores of the^ great con- 
tinent were visible on his lee, because a tremendous 
surf roared along the whole line of coast, threaten- 
ing destruction to any vessel that should venture to 
approach, and there was no harbour of refuge nigh. 

“ She *s sinking fast, Mr. Seadrift,” said the captain 
to a stout, frank-looking youth of about twenty 
summers, who leant against the bulwarks and gazed 
wistfully at the land ; “ the carpenter cannot find 
the leak, and the rate at which the water is rising 
shows that she cannot float long.” 

“ What then do you propose to do ? ” inquired . 
young Seadrift, with a troubled expression of coun- 
tenance. 

“ Abandon her,” replied the captain. 

“Well, you may do so, captain, but I shall not 
forsake my father’s ship as long as she can float. 
Why not beach her somewhere on the coast ? By 
so doing we might save part of the cargo, and, at all 
events, shall have done the utmost that lay in our 
power.” 

“ Look at the coast,” returned the captain ; “ where 
would you beach her ? No doubt there is smooth 
water inside the reef, but the channels through it, 
if there be any here, are so narrow that it would be 
almost certain death to make the attempt.” 


BLACK IVOKY'. 


3 


The youth turned away without replying. He 
was sorely perplexed. Just before leaving England 
his father had said to him, “ Harold, my boy, here ’s 
your chance for paying a visit to the land you’ve 
read and talked so much about, and wished so often 
to travel through. I have chartered a brig, and 
shall send her out to Zanzibar with a cargo of beads, 
cotton cloth, brass wire, and such like: what say 
you to go as supercargo ? Of course you won’t be 
able to follow in the steps of Livingstone or Mungo 
Park, but while the brig is at Zanzibar you will have 
an opportunity of running across the channel, the 
island being only a few miles from the main, and 
having a short run up-country to see the niggers, 
and perchance have a slap at a hippopotamus. 
I!H line your pockets, so that you won’t lack the 
•sinews of war, without which travel either at home 
or abroad is but sorry work, and I shall only expect 
you to give a good account of ship and cargo on 
your return. — Come, is it fixed ? ” 

Need we say that Harold leaped joyfully at the 
proposal? And now, here he was, called on to 
abandon the ‘ Aurora ’ to her fate, as we have said, 
near the end of a prosperous voyage. No wonder 
that he was perplexed. 

The crew were fully aware of the state of matters. 
By the captain’s orders they stood ready to lower 
the two largest boats, into which they had put as 


4 


BLACK IVORY. 


much of their worldly goods and provisions as they 
could hold with safety. 

"Port, port your helm” said the captain to the 
man at the wheel. 

"Port it is, sir,” replied the man at the wheel, 
who was one of those broad-shouldered, big-chested, 
loose-garmented, wide-trousered, bare-necked, free- 
and-easy, off-hand jovial tars who have done so much, 
in years gone by, to increase the wealth and pros- 
perity of the British Empire, and who, although 
confessedly scarce, are considerately allowed to 
perish in hundreds annually on our shores for want 
of a little reasonable legislation. But cheer up, 
ye jolly tars ! There is a glimmer of sunrise on 
your political horizon. It really does seem as if, 
in regard to you, there were at last “ a good time 
coming.” 

“ Port, port,” repeated the captain, with a glance 
at the compass and the sky. 

“ Port it is, sir,” again replied the jovial one. 

“ Steady ! Lower away the boat, lads. — Now, 
Mr. Seadrift,” said the captain, turning with an air 
of decision to the young supercargo, “ the time has 
come for you to make up your mind. The water is 
rising in the hold, and the ship is, as you see, set- 
tling fast down. I need not say to you that it is 
with the utmost regret I find it necessary to abandon 
her ; but self-preservation and the duty I owe to 


BLACK IVORY. 


5 


my men render the step absolutely necessary. Do 
you intend to go with us ? ” 

“No, captain, I don’t,” replied Harold Seadrift 
firmly. “ I do not blame you for consulting your 
own safety, and doing what you believe to be your 
duty, but I have already said that I shall stick by 
the ship as long as she can float.” 

“Well, sir, I regret it, but you must do as you 
think best,” replied the captain, turning away — 
“ Now, lads, jump in.” 

The men obeyed, but several of those who were 
last to quit the ship looked back and called to the 
free-and-easy man who still stood at the wheel, — 
“Come along, Disco; we’ll have to shove off directly.” 

“ Shove off w’en you please,” replied the man at 
the wheel, in a deep rich voice, whose tones were 
indicative of a sort of good-humoured contempt; 
“ wot I means for to do is to 'Stop where I am. It ’ll 
never be said of Disco Lillihammer that he forsook 
the owner’s son in distress.” 

“ But you ’ll go to the bottom, man, if you don’t 
come.” 

« Well, wot if I do ? I’d raither go to the bottom 
with a brave man, than remain at the top with a set 
o’ fine fellers like you /” 

Some of the men received this reply with a laugh, 
others frowned, and a few swore, while some of them 
looked regretfully at their self-willed shipmate ; for 


6 


BLACK IVORY. 


it must not be supposed that all the tars who float 
upon the sea are of the bold, candid, open-handed 
type, though we really believe that a large propor- 
tion of them are so. 

Be this as it may, the boats left the brig, and 
were soon far astern. 

“ Thank you, Lillihammer,” said Harold, going up 
and grasping the horny hand of the self-sacrificing 
sea-dog. “ This is very kind of you, though I fear 
it may cost you your life. But it is too late to talk 
of that ; we must fix on some plan, and act at once.” 

“ The werry thing, sir,” said Disco quietly, “ that 
wos runnin’ in my own mind, 'cos it's werry 
clear that we hain’t got too many minits to spare 
in confabilation." 

“ Well, what do you suggest-?” 

“ Aster you, sir,” said Disco, pulling his forelock ; 

you are capting now, an' ought to give orders.” 

“ Then I think the best thing we can do/' rejoined 
Harold, “ is to make straight for the shore, search 
for an opening in the reef, run through, and- beach 
the^ vessel on the sand. What say you ?” 

“ As there 's nothin' else left for us to do, ” replied 
Disco, “ that 's 'zactly wot I think too, an' the sooner 
we does it the better.” 

“Down with the helm, then,'' cried Harold, 
springing forward, “ and I 'll ease off the sheets.” 

In a few minutes the ‘ Aurora ’ was surging 


BLACK IVORY. 


7 


before a stiff breeze towards the line of foam which 
indicated the outlying reef, and inside of which all 
was comparatively calm. 

“ If we only manage to get inside,” said Harold, 
“ we shall do well” ! 

Disco made no reply. His whole attention was 
given to steering the brig, and running his eyes 
anxiously along the breakers, the sound of which 
increased to a thunderous roar as they drew near. 

“ There seems something like a channel yonder,” 
said Harold, pointing anxiously to a particular spot 
in the reef. 

“ I see it, sir,” was the curt reply. 

A few minutes more of suspense, and the brig 
drove into the supposed channel, and struck with 
Such violence that the foremast snapped off near 
the deck, and went over the side. 

“ God help us, we ’re lost !” exclaimed Harold, as 
a towering wave lifted the vessel up and hurled her 
like a plaything on the rocks. 

“ Stand by to jump, sir,” cried Disco. 

Another breaker came roaring in at the moment 
overwhelmed the brig, rolled her over on her beam- 
ends, and swept the two men out of her. They 
struggled gallantly to free themselves from the 
wreck, and, succeeding with difficulty, swam across 
the sheltered water to the shore, on which they 
finally landed. 


8 


BLACK IVORY. 


Harold’s first exclamation was one of thankful- 
ness for their deliverance, to which Disco replied 
with a hearty “ Amen !” and then turning round and 
surveying the coast, while he slowly thrust his hands 
into his wet trouser-pockets, wondered whereabouts 
in the world they had got to. 

“ To the east coast of Africa, to be sure,” observed 
the young supercargo, with a slight smile, as he 
wrung the water out of the foot of his trousers, "the 
place we were bound for, you know.” 

V3TM. - 

“ Werry good; so here we are — come to an anchor! 
Well, I only wish,” he added, sitting down on a piece 
of driftwood, and rummaging in the pockets before 
referred to, as if in search of something — “I only wish 
I ’d kep' on my weskit, 'cause all my 'baccy's there, 
and it would be a rael comfort to have a quid in the 
circumstances.” 

It was fortunate for the wrecked voyagers that 
the set of the current had carried portions of their 
vessel to the shore, at a considerable distance from 
the spot where they had landed, because a band of 
natives, armed with spears and bows and arrows, 
had watched the wreck, from the neighbouring 
heights, and had hastened to that part of the coast on 
which they knew from experience the cargo would 
be likely to drift. The heads of the swimmers 
being but small specks in the distance, had escaped 
observation. Thus they had landed unseen. The 


BLACK IVORY. 


9 


spot was near the entrance to a small river or creek, 
which was partially concealed by the formation of 
the land and by mangrove trees. 

Harold was the first to observe that they had not 
been cast on an uninhabited shore. While gazing 
round him, and casting about in his mind what was 
best to be done, he heard shouts, and hastening to a 
rocky point that hid part of the coast from his view 
looked cautiously over it and saw the natives. He 
beckoned to Disco, who joined him. 

“ They haven’t a friendly look about ’em,” ob- 
served the seaman, “ and they ’re summat scaur in 
the matter of clothin’.” 

“ Appearances are often deceptive,” returned his 
companion, “but I so far agree with you that I 
think our wisest course will be to retire into the 
woods, and there consult as to our future proceedings, 
for it is quite certain that as we cannot live on sand 
and salt water, neither can we safely sleep in wet 
clothes or on the bare ground in a climate like this.” 

Hastening towards the entrance to the creek, the 
unfortunate pair entered the bushes, through which 
they pushed with some difficulty, until they gained 
a spot sufficiently secluded for their purpose, when 
they observed that they had passed through a belt 
of underwood, beyond which there appeared to be 
an open space. A few steps further and they came 
out on a sort of natural basin formed by the creek, 


10 


CLACK IVORY. 


in which floated a large boat of a peculiar construc- 
tion, with very piratical-looking lateen sails. Their 
astonishment at this unexpected sight was increased 
by the fact that on the opposite bank of the creek 
there stood several men armed with muskets, which 
latter were immediately pointed at their breasts. 

The first impulse of the shipwrecked friends was 
to spring back into the bushes— the second to ad- 
vance and hold up their empty hands to show that 
they were unarmed. 

“ Hold on,” exclaimed Disco, in a free and easy 
confidential tone ; “ we're friends, we are; ship- 
wrecked mariners we is, so ground arms, my lads, 
an' make your minds easy.” 

One of the men made some remark to another, 
who, from his Oriental dress, was easily recognised 
by Harold as one of the Arab traders of the coast. 
His men appeared to be half-castes. 

The Arab nodded gravely, and said something 
which induced his men to lower their muskets. 
Then with a wave of his hand he invited the 
strangers to come over the creek to him. 

This was rendered possible by the breadth of the 
boat already mentioned being so great that while one 
side touched the right bank of the creek the other 
was within four or five feet of the left. 

Without hesitation Harold Seadrift bounded 
lightly from the bank to the half-deck of the 


BLACK IVORY. 


11 


boat, and stepping ashore walked np to the Arab, 
closely followed by his companion. 

“ Do yon speak English ? ” asked Harold. 

The Arab shook his head and said, “Arabic, 
Portuguese/’ 

Harold therefore shook his head; — then, with a 
hopeful look, said “ French ?” interrogatively. 

The Arab repeated the shake of his head, but 
after a moments’ thought said, “ I know littil Eng- 
leesh ; speak, where comes you ? ” 

“We have been wrecked,” began Harold (the 
Arab glanced gravely at his dripping clothes, as if to 
say, I had guessed as much), “ and this man and I 
are the only survivors of the crew of our- ship — at 
least the only two who swam on shore, the others 
went off in a boat.” 

“ Come you from man-of-war ? ” asked the Arab, 
with a keen glance at the candid countenance of the 
youth. 

“ Ho, our vessel was a trader bound for Zanzibar. 
She now lies in fragments on the shore, and we 
have escaped with nothing but the clothes on our 
backs. Can you tell us whether there is a town or 
a village in the neighbourhood ? for, as you see, we 
stand sadly in need of clothing, food, and shelter. 
We have no money, but we have good muscles and 
stout hearts, and could work our way well enough, T 
doubt not.” 


12 


BLACK IVORY. 


Young Seadrift said this modestly, but the 
remark was unnecessary, for it would have been 
quite obvious to a man of much less intelligence 
than the Arab that a youth who, although just 
entering on the age of manhood, was six feet high, 
deep-chested, broad-shouldered, and as lithe as a 
kitten, could not find any difficulty in working his 
way, while his companion, though a little older, was 
evidently quite as capable. 

“There be no town, no village, for fifty miles fro 
where you stand,” replied the Arab. 

“ Indeed ! ” exclaimed Harold in surprise, for he 
had always supposed the east African coast to be 
rather populous. 

“ That ’s a blue look-out anyhow,” observed Disco, 
“for it necessitates starvation, unless this good 
gentleman will hire us to work his craft. It ain’t 
very ship-shape to be sure, but anything of a sea- 
goin craft comes more or less handy to an old salt.” 

The trader listened with the politeness and pro- 
found gravity that seems to be characteristic of 
Orientals, but by no sign or expression showed 
whether he understood what was said. 

“ I go to Zanzibar,” said he, turning to Harold, 
“ and will take you,— so you wish.” 

There was something sinister in the man’s manner 
which Harold did not like, but as he was destitute, 
besides being in the Arab’s power, and utterly igno- 


BLACK IVORY. 


13 


rant of the country, he thought it best to put a good 
face on matters, and therefore thanked him for his 
kind offer, and assured him that on reaching Zanzi- 
bar he would be in a position to pay for his passage 
as well as that of his friend. 

“May I ask,” continued Harold, “what your 
occupation is ?” 

“ I am. trader.” 

Harold thought he would venture another ques- 
tion : — 

“ In what sort of goods do you trade ?” 

“ Ivory/- Some be white, an’ some be what your 
contrymans do call black.” 

“ Black !” exclaimed Harold, in surprise. 

“ Yees, black,” replied the trader. “ White ivory do 
come from the elephant — hims tusk ; Black Ivory do 
come ” — he smiled slightly at this point — “ from the 
land everywheres. It bees our chef artikil of trade.” 

“ Indeed ! I never heard of it before.” 

“ No ?” replied the trader ; “ you shall see it much 
here. But I go talk with my mans. Wait.” 

Saying this, in a tone which savoured somewhat 
unpleasantly of command, the Arab went towards a 
small hut, near to which his men were standing, and 
entered into conversation with them. 

It was evident that they were ill pleased with 
what he said at first, for there was a good deal of 
remonstrance in their tones, while they pointed 


14 


BLACK IVORY. 


frequently in a certain direction which seemed to 
indicate the coast-line; but by degrees their tones 
changed, and they laughed and chuckled a good 
deal, as if greatly tickled by the speech of the 
Arab, who, however, maintained a look of dignified 
gravity all the time. 

“ I don’t like the looks o’ them fellers,” remarked 
Disco, after observing them in silence for some time. 
“ They ’re a cut-throat set, I’m quite sure, an’ if 
you’ll take my advice, Mister Seadrift, we’ll give 
’em the slip, an’ try to hunt up one o’ the native 
villages. I shouldn’t wonder, now, if that chap was 
a slave-trader.” 

“The same idea has occurred to myself, Disco,” 
replied Harold, “and I would willingly leave him 
if X thought there was a town or village within 
twenty miles of us; but we are ignorant on that 
point, and I have heard enough of the African 
climate to believe that it might cost us our lives 
if we were obliged to spend a night in the jungle 
without fire, food, or covering, and with nothing on 
but a wet flannel shirt and pair of canvas breeches. 
No, no, lad, we must not risk it. Besides, although 
some Arabs are slave-traders, it does not follow that 
all are. This fellow may turn out better than he 
looks.” 

Disco Lillihammer experienced some • sensations 
of surprise on hearing his young friend’s remarks 


BLACK IVORY. 


15 


on the climate, for he knew nothing whatever about 
that of Africa —having sailed chiefly in the Arctic 
Seas as a whaler, — and laboured under the delusion 
that no climate under the sun could in any degree 
affect his hardy and well-seasoned frame. He was too 
respectful, however, to let his thoughts be known. 

Meanwhile the Arab returned. 

“I sail this night,” he said, “when moon go 
down. That not far before midnight. You mus’ 
keep by boat here — close. If you go this way or 
that, the niggers kill you. They not come here ; 
they know I is here. I go look after my goods 
and chattels — my 'Black Ivory.” 

“Mayn’t we go with ’ee, mister — what ’s your 

name ? ” 

“My name ?-^Yoosoof,” replied the Arab, in a 
tone and with a look which were meant to com- 
mand respect. 

“ Well, Mister Yoosoof,” continued Disco, “ if we 
may make bold to ax leave for to go with ’ee, we 
could lend ’ee a helpin’ hand, d’ ye see, to carry yer 
goods an’ chattels down to the boat.” 

“There is no need,” said Yoosoof, waving his 
hand, and pointing to the hut before mentioned. 
« (Jo \ you can rest till we sail. Sleep ; you will 
need it. There is littil rice in hut — eat that, and 
make fire, dry youselfs. 

So saying, the Arab left them by a path leading 


16 


BLACK IVORY. 


into the woods, along which his men, who were 
Portuguese half-castes, had preceded him. 

“ Make fire indeed !” exclaimed Disco, as he 
walked with his companion to the hut ; “ one would 
think, from the free-and-easy way in which he tells 
us to make it, that he’s in the habit himself of 
striking it out o’ the point o’ his own nose, or some 
such convenient fashion.” 

“ More likely to flash it out of his eyes, I should 
think,” said Harold ; “ but, see here, the fellow 
knew what he was talking about. There is fire 
among these embers on the hearth.” 

“ That ’s true,” replied Disco, going down on his 
knees, and blowing them carefully. 

In a few minutes a spark leaped into a flame, 
wood was heaped on, and the flame speedily became 
a rousing fire, before which they dried their gar- 
ments, while a pot of rice was put on to boil. 

Scarcely had they proceeded thus far in their 
preparations, when two men, armed with muskets, 
were seen to approach, leading a negro girl between 
them. As they drew nearer, it was observable that 
the girl had a brass ring round her neck, to which a 
rope was attached. 

“A slave!” exclaimed Disco vehemently, while 
the blood rushed to his face ; “ let ’s set her free !” 

The indignant seaman had half sprung to his legs 
before Harold seized and pulled him forcibly back. 


BLACK IVORY. 


17 


\ 


“ Be quiet, man,” said Harold quickly. “ If we 
could free her by fighting, I would help you, hut 
we can’t. Evidently we have got into a nest 
of slavers. Bashness will only bring about our 
own death. Be wise ; bide your time, and we may 
live to do some good yet.” 

He stopped abruptly, for the new confers had 
reached the top of the winding path that led to the 
hut. 

A look of intense surprise overspread the faces 
of the two men when they entered and saw the 
Englishmen sitting comfortably by the fire, and 
both, as if by instinct, threw forward the muzzles 
of their muskets. 

“ Oh ! come in, come in, make your minds easy,” 
cried Disco, in a half- savage tone, despite the warn- 
ing he had received; “we’re all friends here — 
leastwise we can’t help ourselves.” 

Fortunately for our mariner the men did not 
understand him, and before they could make up 
their minds what to think of it, or how to act, 
Harold rose, and, with a polite bow, invited them 
to enter. 

“ Do you understand English ?” he asked. 

A frown, and a decided shake of the head from 
both men, was the reply. The poor negro girl 
cowered behind her keepers, as if she feared that 
violence were about to ensue. 

B 


IS 


BLACK IVORY. 


Having tried French with a like result, Harold 
uttered the name, “ Yoosoof,” and pointed in the 
direction in which the trader had entered the woods. 

The men looked intelligently at each other, and 
nodded. 

Then Harold said “ Zanzibar,” and pointed in the 
direction in which he supposed that island lay. 

Again the men glanced at each other, and nodded. 

Harold next said “Boat — dhow,” and pointed 
towards the creek, which remark and sign were 
received as before. 

“ Good,” he continued, slapping himself on the 
chest, and pointing to his companion ; “ I go to Zan- 
zibar, he goes, she goes ” (pointing to the girl), “ you 
go, and Yoosoof goes — all in the dhow together to 
Zanzibar — to-night — when moon goes down. D’ ee 
understand ? Now then, come along and have some 
rice.” 

He finished up by slapping one of the men on 
the shoulder, and lifting the kettle off the fire, for 
the rice had already been cooked and only wanted 
warming. 

The men looked once again at each other, nodded, 
laughed, and sat down on a log beside the fire, 
opposite to the Englishmen. 

They were evidently much perplexed by the 
situation, and, not knowing what to make of it, 
were disposed in the meantime to be friendly. 


BLACK IVORY. 


19 


While they were busy with the rice, Disco gazed 
in silent wonder, and with intense pity, at the slave 
girl, who sat a little to one side of her guardians on 
a mat, her small hands folded together resting on 
one knee, her head drooping, and her eyes cast 
down. The enthusiastic tar found it very difficult 
to .restrain his feelings. He had heard, of course, 
more or less about African slavery from shipmates, 
but he had never read about it, and had never 
seriously given his thoughts to it, although his 
native sense of freedom, justice, and fair-play had 
roused a feeling of indignation in his breast when- 
ever the subject chanced to be discussed by him 
and his mates. But now, for the first time in his 
life, suddenly and unexpectedly, he was brought 
face to face with slavery. No wonder that he was 
deeply moved. 

“Why, Mister Seadrift,” he said, in the confi- 
dential tone of one who imparts a new discovery, 
“I do honestly confess to ’ee that I think that’s a 
'pretty girl ! ” 

“ I quite- agree with you,” replied Harold, smiling. 

“ Ay, but I mean really- pretty, you know. I ’ve 
always thought that all niggers had ugly flat noses 
an’ thick blubber lips. But look at that one : her 
lips are scarce a bit thicker than those of many a 
good-looking lass in England, and they don’t stick 
out at all, and her nose ain’t flat a bit. It ’s quite 


20 


BLACK IVORY. 


as good as my Nancy’s nose, an’ that’s sayin’ a 
good deal, I tell ’ee. Moreover, she ain’t black — 
she ’s brown.” 

It is but justice to Disco to say that he was right 
in his observations, and to explain that the various 
negro tribes in Africa differ very materially from 
each other; some of them, as we are told by Dr. 
Livingstone, possessing little of what, in our eyes, 
seems the characteristic ugliness of the negro — such 
as thick lips, flat noses, protruding heels, etc., — but 
being in every sense handsome races of humanity. 

The slave girl whom Disco admired and pitied so 
much belonged to one of these tribes, and, as was 
afterwards ascertained, had\been brought from the 
far interior. She appeared to be very young, never- 
theless there was a settled expression of meek 
sorrow and suffering on her face ; and though 
handsomely formed, she was extremely thin, no 
doubt from prolonged hardships on the journey 
down to the coast. 

“ Here, have somethin’ to eat,” exclaimed Disco, 
suddenly filling a tin plate with rice, and carrying 
it to the girl, who, however, shook her head without 
raising her eyes. 

“You’re not hungry, poor thing,” said the sea- 
man, in a disappointed tone ; “ you look as if you 
should be. Come, try it,” he added, stooping, and 
patting her head. 


BLACK IVORY. 


21 


The poor child looked up as if frightened, and 
shrank from the seaman’s touch, but, on glancing a 
second time in his honest face, she appeared to feel 
confidence* in him. Nevertheless, she would not 
touch the rice until her guardians said something to 
her sternly, when she began to eat with an appetite 
that was eloquent. 

“ Come, now, tell us what your- name is, lass,” 
said Disco, when she had finished the rice. 

Of course the girl shook her head, but appeared 
to wish to understand the question, while the 
Portuguese laughed and seemed amused with the 
Englishman’s eccentricities. 

“ Look here, now,” resumed the tar, slapping his 
own chest vigorously, “ Disco, Disco, Disco, that ’s 
me — Disco. And this man ” (patting his companion 
on the breast) “is Harold, Harold, that’s him — Harold. 
Now, then,” he^ added, pointing straight at the girl, 
“ you — what ’s you name, eh ?” 

A gleam of intelligence shot from the girl’s ex- 
pressive eyes, and she displayed a double row of 
beautiful teeth as in a low soft voice she said — 
“ Azint4.” 

“ Azint4 ? come, that’s not a bad name ; why, it ’s 
a capital one. Just suited to ’ee. Well, Azint4, my 
poor girl,” said Disco, with a fresh outburst of feel- 
ing, as he clenched his horny right hand and dashed 
it into the palm of his left, “ if I only knew how to 


22 


BLACK IVORY. 


set you free just now, my dear, I’d- do it — ay, if 1 
was to be roasted alive for so doin’. I would !” 

“ You ’ll never set anybody free in this world,” 
said Harold Seadrift, with some severity, “ if you 
go on talking and acting as you have done to-day. 
If these men had not, by good fortune, been ignorant 
of our language, it’s my opinion that they would 
have blown our brains out before this time. You 
should restrain yourself, man,” he continued, gra- 
dually dropping into a remonstrative and then into 
an earnestly confidential tone ; “ we are utterly help- 
less just now. If you did succeed in freeing that 
girl at this moment, it would only be to let her fall 
into the hands of some other slave-owner. Besides, 
that would not set free all the other slaves, male and 
female, who are being dragged from the interior of 
Africa. You and I may perhaps do some small matter 
in the way of helping to free slaves, if we keep quiet 
and watch our opportunity, but we shall accomplish 
nothing if you give way to useless bursts of anger.” 

Poor Lillihammer was subdued. 

“You’re right, Mister Seadrift, you’re right, sir, 
and I’m a ass. I never could keep my feelings 
down. It’s all along of my havin’ bin made too much 
of by my mother, dear old woman, wen I was a 
boy. But I’ll make a effort, sir; I’ll clap a stopper 
on ’em — bottle ’em up and screw ’em down tight, 
werry tight indeed.” 


BLACK IVOKY. 


23 


Disco again sent his right fist into the palm of 
his left hand, with something like the sound of a 
pistol-shot, to the no small surprise and alarm of 
the Portuguese, and, rising, went out to cool his 
heated brow in the open air. 


24 


BLACK IVORY. 


CHAPTER II 

YOOSOOF’S “ BLACK IVORY.” 

When Yoosoof entered the woods, as before stated, 
for the purpose of looking after his property, he 
followed a narrow foot-path for about half a mile, 
which led him to another part of the same creek, at the 
entrance of which we introduced him to the reader. 
Here, under the deep shadow of umbrageous trees, 
floated five large Arab boats, or dhows, similar to 
the one which has been already referred to. They 
were quite empty, and apparently unguarded, for 
when Yoosoof went down the bank and stood on a 
projecting rock which overlooked them, no one 
replied to his low-toned hail. Eepeating it once, 
and still receiving no answer, he sat quietly down 
on the rocks, lighted a small pipe, and waited 
patiently. 

The boats, as we have said, were empty, but there 
were some curious appliances in them, having the 
appearance of chains, and wristlets, and bars of iron 
running along and fixed to their decks, 01 rather to 


BLACK IVORY. 


25 


the flooring of their holds. Their long yards and 
sails were cleared and ready for hoisting. 

After the lapse of ten or fifteen minutes, Yoosoof 
raised his head — for he had been meditating deeply, 
if one might judge from his attitude — and glanced 
in the direction of an opening in the bushes whence 
issued a silent and singular train of human beinss 
They were negroes, secured by the necks or wrists — 
men, women, and children, — and guarded by armed 
half-caste Portuguese. When a certain number of 
them, about a hundred or so, had issued from the 
wood, and crowded the banks of the creek, they were 
ordered to stand still, and the leader of the band 
advanced towards his master. 

These were some of Yoosoof s “ goods and 
chattels,” his “ cattle,” his “ black ivory.” 

“ You have been long in coming, Moosa,” said the 
Arab trader, as the man approached. 

“ I have,” replied Moosa, somewhat gruffly, “ but 
the road was rough and long, and the cattle were 
ill-conditioned, as you see.” 

The two men spoke in the Portuguese tongue, 
but as the natives and settlers on that coast speak a 
variety of languages and dialects, we have no alter- 
native, good reader, but to render all into English. 

“ Make the more -haste now,” said Yoosoof ; “ get 
them shipped at once, for we sail when the moon 
goes down. Pick out the- weakest among the lot, 


26 


BLACK IVORY. 


those most likely to die, and put them by them- 
selves in the small dhow. If we musir sacrifice some 
of our wares to these meddling dogs the English, we 
may as well give- them the refuse.” 

Without remark, Moosa turned on his heel and 
proceeded to obey orders. 

Truly, to one unaccustomed to such scenes, it 
would have appeared that all the negroes on the spot 
were “most likely to die,” for a more wretched, starved 
set of human beings could scarcely be imagined. 
They had just- terminated a journey on foot of 
several hundreds of miles, with insufficient food and 
under severe hardships. Nearly all of them were 
lean to a degree, — many so reduced that they 
resembled nothing but skeletons with a covering of 
black leather. Some of the children were very 
young, many of them mere infants, clinging to the 
backs of the poor mothers, who had carried them 
over mountain and plain, through swamp and jungle, 
in blistering sunshine and pelting rain for many 
weary days. But prolonged suffering had changed 
the nature of these little ones. They were as silent 
and almost as intelligently anxious as their seniors. 
Thsre were no old pieces of merchandise there. 
Most were youthful or in the prime of life; a few 
were* middle-aged. 

Difficult though the task appeared to be, Moosa 
vioon selected about fifty men and women and a few 


BLACK IVORY. 


27 


children, who were so fearfully emaciated that their 
chance of. surviving appeared but- small. These 
were cast loose and placed in a sitting posture in 
the hold of the smallest dhow, as close together 
as they could be packed. 

Their removal from the bank made room for 
more to issue from the wood, which they did in a 
continuous stream. Batch after batch was cast 
loose and stowed away in the manner already de- 
scribed, until the holds of two of the large boats were 
filled, each being capable of containing about- two 
hundred souls. This was so far satisfactory to 
Yoosoof, who had expended a good deal of money 
on the venture — satisfactory, even although he had 
lost a large proportion of the goods — four-fifths at 
least, if not more, by death and otherwise, on the 
way down to the coast ; but that was a matter of 
little consequence. The price of black ivory was 
up in the market just at that time, and the worthy 
merchant could stand a good deal of loss. 

The embarkation was effected with wonderful 
celerity, and in comparative silence. Only the stern 
voices of the half-caste Portuguese were heard as 
they ordered the slaves to move, mingled with the 
occasional clank of a chain, but no sounds proceeded 
from the thoroughly subdued and worn-out slaves 
louder than a sigh or a half- suppressed wail, with 
now and then a shriek of pain when some of the 


28 


BLACK IVORY. 


weaker among them were, quickened into activity 
by the lash. 

When all had been embarked, two of the five 
boats still remained empty, but Yoosoof had a pretty 
good idea of the particular points along the coast 
where more “cattle” of a similar kind could be 
purchased. Therefore, after stationing some of his 
men, armed with muskets, to guard the boats, he 
returned with the remainder of them to the hut in 
which the Englishmen had been left. 

There he found Azint4 and her guardians. He 
seemed angry with the latter at first, but after a few 
minutes’ thought appeared to recover his equanimity, 
and ordered the men to remove the ropes with which 
the girl was tethered ; then bidding her follow him 
he left the hut without taking any notice of the 
Englishmen further than to say he would be back 
shortly before the time of sailing. 

Yoosoof s motions were usually slow and his mien 
somewhat dignified, but, when occasion required, he 
could throw off his Oriental dignity and step out 
with the activity of a monkey. It was so on this 
occasion, insomuch that Azinte was obliged occa- 
sionally to run in order to keep up with him. Pro- 
ceeding about two miles in the woods along the 
shore without halt, he came out at length on the 
margin of a bay, at the head of which lay a small 
town. It was a sorry-looking place, composed of 


BLACK IVORY. 


29 


wretchedly built houses, most of which were thatched 
with the leaves of the cocoa-nut palm. 

Nevertheless, such as it was, it possessed a mud 
fort, an army of about thirty soldiers, composed of 
Portuguese convicts who had been sent there as a 
punishment for many crimes, a Governor, who was 
understood to be honourable, having been placed 
there by his Excellency the Governor- General at 
Mozambique, who had been himself appointed by 
His Most Faithful Majesty the King of Portugal. 

It was in quest of this Governor that Yoosoof 
bent his rapid steps. Besides all the advantages 
above enumerated, the town drove a small trade 
in ivory, ebony, indigo, orchella weed, gum copal, 
cocoa-nut oil, and other articles of native produce, 
and a very large (though secret) trade in human 
bodies and — we had almost written — souls, but the 
worthy people who dwelt there could not fetter 
souls, although they could, and very often did, set 
them free. 

Senhor Erancisco Alfonso Toledo Bignoso Letotti, 
the Governor, was seated at the open window of his 
parlour, just before Yoosoof made his appearance, 
conversing lightly with his only daughter, the 
Senhorina Maraquita, a beautiful brunette of about 
eighteen summers, who had been brought up and 
educated in Portugal. 

The Governor’s wife had died a year before this 


30 


BLACK IVORY. 


time in Madrid, and the Senhorina had gone' to live 
wiih her father on the east coast of Africa, at which 
place she had arrived just six weeks previous to the 
date of the opening of our tale. 

Among the various boats and vessels at anchor in 
the bay, were seen the tapering masts of a British 
war-steamer. The Senhorina and her sire were en- 
gaged in a gossiping criticism of the officers of this 
vessel when Yoosoof was announced. Audience was 
immediately granted. 

Entering the room, with Azinte- close behind him, 
the Arab stopped abruptly on beholding Maraquita, 
and bowed gravely. 

“Leave us, my child,” said the Governor, in 
Portuguese; “ I have business to transact with this 
man.” 

“ And why may not I stay to assist you, father, 
in this wonderful man-mystery of transacting 
business ? ” asked Maraquita, with an arch smile. 
“ Whenever you men want to get rid of women you 
frighten them away with business ! If you wish not 
to explain something to us, you shake your wis< 
heads, and call it business ! Is it not so ?— -Come, Arab/ 
she added, turning with a sprightly air to Yoosoof 
“ you are a trader, I suppose ; all Arabs are, I am 
told. Well, what sort of wares have you got to sell? ’• 

Yoosoof smiled slightly as he stepped aside anc! 
pointed to Azintd. 


BLACK IVORY. 


31 


The speaking countenance of the Portuguese girl 
changed as if by magic. She had seen little and 
thought little about slavery during the brief period 
of her residence on the coast, and had scarcely 
realized the fact that Sambo, with the thick lips — 
her father’s gardener — or the black cook and house- 
maids, were slaves. It was the first entrance of a 
new idea with something like power into her mind 
when she saw a delicate, mild- looking, and pretty 
negro girl actually offered for sale. 

Before she could bethink herself of any remark the 
door opened, and in walked, unannounced, a man on 
whose somewhat handsome countenance villany was 
clearly stamped. 

“ Ha ! Marizano,” exclaimed Senhor Letotti, rising, 
“ you have thought better of it, I presume ? ” 

“ I have, and I agree to your arrangement,*’ 
replied Marizano, in an off-hand, surly tone. 

“ There is nothing like necessity,” returned the 
Governor, with a laugh. “ ’Twere better to enjoy a 
roving life for a short time with a lightish purse in 
one’s pocket, than to attempt to keep a heavy purse 
with the addition of several ounces of lead in one’s 
breast ! How say you ?” 

Marizano smiled and shrugged his broad shoulders 
but made no reply, for just then his attention had 
been attracted to the slave girl. 

“ For sale ?” he inquired of the Arab carelessly. 


32 


BLACK IVORY. 


Yoosoof bowed his head slightly. 

“ How much ?” 

“ Come, come, gentlemen, 1 ” interposed the Gover- 
nor, with a laugh and a glance at his daughter, " you 
can settle this matter elsewhere. Yoosoof has come 
here to talk with me on other matters. — How, 
Maraquita dear, you had better retire for a short 
time.” 

When the Senhorina had somewhat unwillingly 
obeyed, the Governor turned to Yoosoof : “ I presume 
you have no objection to Marizano’s presence during 
our interview, seeing that he is almost as well 
acquainted with your affairs as yourself ?” 

As Yoosoof expressed no objection, the three drew 
their chairs together and sat down to a prolonged 
private and very interesting palaver. 

We do not mean to try the reader’s patience by 
dragging him through the whole of it ; nevertheless 
a small portion of what was said is essential to the 
development of our tale. 

“ Well, then, be it as you wish, Yoosoof,” said the 
Governor, folding up a fresh cigarette ; “ you are one 
of the most active traders on the coast, and never 
fail to keep correct accounts with your Governor. 
You deserve encouragement, but I fear that you run 
considerable risk.” 

“ I know that ; but those who make much must 
risk much.” 


BLACK IVORY. 


33 


“ Bravo !” exclaimed Marizano, with hearty appro- 
val ; “ nevertheless those who risk most do not always 
make most. Contrast yourself with me, now. You 
risk your boats and cattle, and become rich. I risk 
my life, and behold ! I am fleeced. I have little or 
nothing left, barely enough to buy yonder girl from 
you — though I think I have enough for that.” 

He pointed as he spoke to Azint4, who still stood 
on the spot where she had been left, near the door. 

“ Tell me,” resumed Senhor Letotti, “ how do you 
propose to elude the English cruiser ? for I know that 
her captain has got wind of your whereabouts, and 
is determined to watch the coast closely — and let 
me tell you, he is a vigorous, intelligent man.” 

“ You tell me he has a number of captured slaves 
already in his ship ?” said Yoosoof. 

“ Yes, some hundreds, I believe.” 

“ He must go somewhere to land these, I presume?” 
rejoined the Arab. 

Yoosoof referred here to the fact that when a 
British cruiser engaged in the suppression of the 
slave-trade on the east coast of Africa has captured a 
number of slaves, she is under the necessity of run- 
ning to the Seychelles Islands, Aden, or some other 
British port of discharge, to land them there as free- 
men, because, were she to set them free on any 
part of the coast of Africa, belonging either to Portu- 
gal or the Sultan of Zanzibar, they would certainly 
c 


34 


BLACK IVORY. 


be recaptured and again enslaved. When therefore 
the cruisers are absent — it may be two or three 
weeks — on this duty, the traders in human flesh of 
course make the most of their opportunity to run 
cargoes of slaves to those ports in Arabia and Persia 
where they always find a ready market. 

On the present occasion Yooso&f conceived that 
the captain of the* ‘Firefly’ might be obliged to 
take this course to get rid of the negroes already on 
board, who were of course consuming his provisions, 
besides being an extremely -disagreeable cargo, many 
of them being diseased and covered with sores, owing 
to their cruel treatment on board the slave-dhows. 

“He won’t go, however, till he has hunted the 
coast north and south for you, so he assures me,” 
said the Governor, with a laugh. 

“ Well, I must start to-night, therefore I shall 
give him a small pill to swallow which will take 
him out of the way,” said Yoosoof, rising to leave 
the room. 

“I wish you both success,” said the Governor, as 
Marizano also rose to depart, “ but I fear that you 
will find the Englishman very troublesome.— Adieu.” 

The Arab and the half-caste went out talking 
earnestly together, and followed by Azint4, and 
immediately afterwards the Senhorina Maraquita 
entered hurriedly. 

“ Father, you must buy that slave-girl for me. I 


BLACK IVORY. 


35 


want a pretty slave all to myself,” she said, with 
unwonted vehemence. 

“ Impossible, my child,” replied the Governor 
kindly, for he was very fond as well as proud of his 
daughter. 

“ Why impossible ? Have you not enough of 
money ? ” 

“ Oh yes, plenty of that, hut I fear she is already 
bespoken, and I should not like to interfere — ” 

“ Bespoken ! do you mean sold ? ” cried Mara- 
quita, seizing her father’s hands, “ not sold to that 
man Marizano ? ” 

“ I think she must be by this time, for he ’s a 
prompt man of business, and not easily thwarted 
when he sets his mind to a thing.” 

The Senhorina clasped her hands before her eyes, 
and stood for a moment motionless, then rushing 
wildly from the room she passed into another apart- 
ment, the windows of which commanded a view of 
a considerable part of the road which led from the 
house along the shore. There she saw the Arab 
and his friend walking leisurely along as if in 
earnest converse, while Azint4 followed meekly be- 
hind. 

The Senhorina stood gazing at them with clenched 
hands, in an agony of uncertainty as to what course 
she ought to pursue, and so wrapt up in her thoughts 
that she failed to observe a strapping young lieuten- 


36 


BLACK IVORY. 


ant of H.M.S. steamer ‘Firefly/ who had entered 
the room and stood, close to her side. 

Now this same lieutenant happened to be wildly 
in love with Senhorina Maraquita. He had met 
her frequently at her father’s table, where, in com- 
pany with his captain, he was entertained with great 
hospitality, and on which occasions the captain was 
assisted by the Governor in his investigations into 
the slave-trade. 

Lieutenant Lindsay had taken the romantic 
plunge with all the charming enthusiasm of inex- 
perienced youth, and entertained the firm conviction 
that if Senhorina Maraquita did not become “ his,” 
life would thenceforth be altogether unworthy of 
consideration ; happiness would be a thing of the 
past, with which he should have nothing more to do, 
and death at the cannon’s mouth, or otherwise, 
would be the only remaining gleam of comfort in 
his dingy future. 

“Something distresses you, I fear,” began the 
lieutenant, not a little perplexed £o find the young 
lady in such a peculiar mood. 

Maraquita started, glanced at him a moment, and 
then, with flashing eyes and heightened colour, 
pointed at the three figures on the road. 

“ Yes, Senhor,” she said ; “ I am distressed — deeply 
so. Look ! do you see yonder two men, and the 
girl walking behind them ? ” 


BLACK IVORY. 


37 


“Ido” 

“ Quick ! fly after them and bring them hither 
— the Arab and the girl I mean — not the other 
man. Oh be quick, else they will be out of sight, 
and then she will be lost; quick, if you — if — if 
you really mean what you have so often told 
me.” 

Poor Lindsay! It was rather a sudden and 
severe test of fidelity to be sent forth to lay violent 
hands on a man and woman and bring them forcibly 
to the Governor's house, without any better reason 
than that a self-willed girl ordered him so to do , 
at the same time he perceived that if he did not 
act promptly the retreating figures would soon turn 
into the town and be hopelessly beyond his power 
of recognition. 

“But — but — ” he stammered, “if they won’t 
come — ? ” 

“ They must come. Threaten my father’s high 
displeasure. — Quick, Senhor,” cried the young lady 
in a commanding tone. 

Lindsay flung open the casement and leapt through 
it, as being the shortest way out of the house, rushed 
with undignified- speed along the road, and overtook 
the Arab and his friend as they were about to turn 
into one of the narrow Janes of the town. 

“ Pardon me,” said the lieutenant, laying his 
hand on Yoosoof’s shoulder in his anxiety to make 


38 


BLACK IVORY. 


/sure of him, “ will you be so good as to return with 
me to the Governor’s residence ?” 

“By whose orders?” demanded Yoosoof, with a 
look of surprise. 

“ The orders of the Senhorina Maraquita/’ 

The Arab hesitated, looked somewhat perplexed, 
and said something in Portuguese to Marizano, who 
pointed to the slave-girl, and spoke with considerable 
vehemence. 

Lindsay did not understand what was said, but 
conjecturing that the half-caste was proposing that 
Azinte should remain with him, he said : — 

“ The girl must return with you — if you would 
not incur the Governor’s displeasure.” 

Marizano, on having this explained to him, looked 
with much ferocity at the lieutenant, and spoke to 
Yoosoof in wrathful tones, but the latter shook his 
head, and the former, who disliked Marizano’s appear- 
ance excessively, took not the least notice of him. 

“ I do go,” said Yoosoof, turning back. Motion- 
ing to Azinte to follow, he retraced his steps with 
the lieutenant and the slave-girl, while Marizano 
strode into the town in a towering rage. 

We need scarcely say that Maraquita, having got 
possession of Azint4, did not find it impossible to per- 
suade her father to purchase her, and that Yoosoof, 
although sorry to disappoint Marizano, who was an 
important ally and assistant in the slave-trade, did 


BLACK IVORY. 


39 


not see his way to thwart the wishes of the Gover- 
nor, whose power to interfere with his trade was 
very great indeed, and to whom he was under the 
necessity of paying head-money for every slave that 
was exported by him from that part of the coast. 

Soon after Azintd had been thus happily rescued 
from the clutches of two of the greatest villains on 
the East-African coast — where villains of the deep- 
est dye are by no means uncommon — Lindsay met 
Captain Eomer of the * Firefly ’ on the beach, with 
his first lieutenant, Mr. Small, who, by the way, 
happened to be one of the largest men in his ship. 
The three officers had been invited to dine that day 
with the Governor, and as there seemed no particular 
occasion for their putting to sea that night, and a 
fresh supply of water had to be taken on board, the 
invitation had been accepted, all the more readily, 
too, that Captain Eomer thought it afforded an op- 
portunity for obtaining further information as to the 
movements of certain notorious slavers who were said 
to be thereabouts at that time. Lieutenant Lindsay 
had been sent ashore at an earlier part of the day, 
accompanied by one of the sailors who understood 
Portuguese, and who, being a remarkably intelligent 
man, might, it was thought, acquire some useful 
information from some of the people of the town. 

“ Well, Mr. Lindsay, has Jackson been of any use 
to you?” inquired the captain. 


40 


BLACK IVORY. 


“ Not yet,” replied the lieutenant ; “ at least 1 
know not what he may have done, not having met 
him since we parted on landing ; hut I have myself 
been so fortunate as to rescue a slave-girl under 
somewhat peculiar circumstances.” 

“ Truly, a most romantic and gallant affair,” said 
the captain, laughing, when Lindsay had related the 
incident, “ and worthy of being mentioned in des- 
patches ; hut I suspect, considering the part that the 
Senhorina Maraquita played in it, and the fact that 
you only rescued the girl from one slaveholder in 
order to hand her over to another, the less that is 
said about the subject the better ! — But here comes 
Jackson. Perhaps he may have learned something 
about the scoundrels we are in search of.” 

The seaman referred to approached and touched 
his cap. 

“ What new§ ?” demanded the captain, who knew 
by the twinkle in Jack’s eye that he had something 
interesting to report. 

“ I ’ve diskivered all about it, sir,” replied the man. 
with an ill-suppressed chuckle. 

“ Indeed ! come this way. Now, let ’s hear what 
you have to tell,” said the captain, when at a suffi- 
cient distance frcm his boat to render the conversa- 
tion quite private. 

“Well, sir,” began Jackson, “ w’en I got up into 
the town, arter leavin’ Mr. Lindsay, who should I 


BLACK IVORY. 


41 


meet but a man as had bin a messmate o’ mine 
aboard of that there Portuguese ship w’ere I picked up 
a smatterin’ o’ the lingo ? Of course we hailed each 
other and hove-to for a spell, and then we made sail 
for a grog-shop, where we spliced the main-brace. 
After a deal o’ tackin’ and heatin’ about, which en- 
abled me to find ou£ that he’d left the sea an’ taken to 
business on his own account, which in them parts 
seems to mean loafin’ about doin’ little or nothin’, I 
went slap into the subject that was uppermost in my 
mind, and says I to him, says I, they does a deal o’ 
slavin’ on this here coast, it appears— Black Ivory is 
a profitable trade, ain’t it? W’y, sir, you should 
have seen the way he grinned and winked, and 
opened out on ’em.’ — ‘ Black Ivory ! ’ says he, 
‘w’y, Jackson, there’s more slaves exported from 
these here parts annofelly than would fill a good- 
sized city. I could tell you — but,’ says he, pullin’ 
up sudden, ‘you won’t split on me, messmate?’ 
Honour bright, says I, if ye don’t call tellin’ my 
captain splitting ‘ Oh no,’ says he, with a laugh, 
‘ it ’s little I care what he knows, or does to the 
pirates — for that ’s their true name, and murderers 
to boot — but don’t let it come to the Governor’s ears, 
else I ’m a ruined man.’ I says I wouldn’t, and then 
he goes on to tell me all sorts of ^hanecdots about 
their doin’s — that they does it with the full consent 
of the Governor, who gets head-money for every 


42 


BLACK IVORY. 


slave exported ; that nearly all the Governors on tlie 
coast are birds of the same feather, and that the ‘ 
Governor- General himself, 1 at Mozambique, winks 
at it, and makes the subordinate Governors pay 
him tribute. Then he goes on to tell me more about 
the Governor of this liere town, an’ says that though 
a kind-hearted man in the main, and very good to 
his domestic slaves, he encourages the export trade, 
because it brings him in a splendidjevenue, which he 
has much need of, poor man, for like most, if not all, 
the Governors on the coast, he do receive nothin' like 
a respectible salary from the Portuguese Government 
at home, and has to make it up by slave-tradin'.” 2 

It must be explained here that British cruisers 
were, and still are, kept on the east coast of Africa, 
for the purpose of crushing only the export slave- 
trade. They claim no right to interfere with 
“ domestic slavery,” an institution which is still legal 
in the dominions of the Sultan of Zanzibar and in 
the so-called colonies of Portugal on that coast. 

"But that is not the best of it, sir," continued 
Jackson, with a respectful smile, “after we'd had 
our jaw out, I goes off along the road by the beach to 
think a bit what I ’d best do, an’ have a smoke — for 
that 's wot usually sets my brain to work full-swing. 
Bein’ hot, I lay down in the lee of a bush to exco- 

1 See Consul M'Leod’s Travels in Eastern Africa, vol. i. p. 306. 

* See M'Leod’s Travels , vol. i. p. 203. 


BLACK IVORY. 


43 


gitate. You see, sir, my old messmate told me 
that there are two men here, the worst characters 
he ever know’d — ashore or afloat. One they calls 
Yoosoof — an Arab he is ; the other Marizano — he ’s a 
slave- catcher, and an outlaw just now, havin’ taken 
up arms and rebelled against the Portuguese autho- 
rities. Nevertheless these two men are secretly 
hand and glove with the Governor here, and at this 
moment there are said to be a lot o’ slaves ready for 
shipment and only waitin’ till the ‘Firefly’ is out 
of the way. More than this my friend could not 
tell, so that’s w’y I went to excogitate. — I beg 
parding, sir, for being so long wi’ ,my yarn, but I 
ain’t got the knack o’ cuttin’ it short, sir, that ’s w’ere 
it is.” 

“ Never mind, lad ; go on to the end of it,” replied 
the captain. “ Did you excogitate anything more?” 

“ I can’t say as I did, sir, but it was cooriously 
enough excogitated for me. W’en I was lying 
there looking through the bush at the bay, I sees 
two men cornin’ along, arm in arm. One of ’em 
was an Arab. W’en they was near I saw the Arab 
start ; I thought he’d seen me, and didn’t like me. 
No more did I like him or his comrade. However, 
I was wrong, for after whisperin’ somethin’ very 
earnest-like to his friend, who laughed very much, 
but said nothin’, they came and sat down not far 
from the bush where I lay. Now, thinks I, it ain’t 


44 


BLACK IVORY. 


pleasant to be an eavesdropper, but as I ’m here to 
find out the secrets of villains, and as these two look 
uncommon like villains, I ’ll wait a bit; if they broach 
business as don t consarn me or her Majesty the 
Queen, I ’ll sneeze an’ let ’em know I ; m here, before 
they’re properly under weigh ; but if they speaks of 
wot I wants to know, I ’ll keep quiet. Well, sir, to 
my surprise the Arab — he speaks in bad English, 
whereby I came to suppose the other was an English- 
man, but if he is the climate must have spoiled him 
badly, for I never did see such a ruffian to look at. 
But he only laughed, and didn’t speak, so I couldn’t 
be sure. Well, to come to the pint, sir, the Arab said 
he ’d got hold of two shipwrecked Englishmen, whom 
he meant to put on board of his dhow, at that time 
lyin’ up a river not three miles off, and full of slaves, 
take ’em off the coast, seize ’em when asleep and heave 
’em overboard ; the reason bein’ that he was afraid, 
’ if they was left ashore here, they ’d discover the town, 
which they are ignorant of at present, and give the 
alarm to our ship, sir, an’ so prevent him gettin’ clear 
off, which he means to attempt about midnight, just 
after the moon goes down.” 

This unexpected information was very gratifying 
to Captain Romer, who immediately gave orders to 
get steam up and have everything in readiness to start 
the moment he should make his appearance on board, 
at the same time enjoining absolute silence on his 


BLACK IVORY. 


45 


lieutenants and Jackson, who all returned to the 
* Firefly,’ chuckling inwardly. 

If they had known that the Arab’s information, 
though partly true, was a ruse ; that Jackson had 
indeed been observed by the keen-eyed Oriental, who 
had thereupon sat down purposely within ear-shot, and 
after a whispered hint to his companion, gave forth 
such information as would be likely to lead the British 
cruiser into his snares — speaking in bad English, 
under the natural impression that the sailor did not 
understand Portuguese, to the immense amusement 
of Marizano, who understood the ruse, though he did 
not understand a single word of what his companion 
said — had they known all this, we say, it is probable 
that they would have chuckled less, and — but why 
indulge in probabilities when facts are before us? 
The sequel will show that the best-laid plans may 
fail. 


BLACK IVORY. ' 




CHAPTER III. 

RELATES THE FURTHER ADVENTURES OF HAROLD AND DIBOO, AND 
4 LIFTS THE CURTAIN A LITTLE HIGHER IN REGARD TO THE SLAVE- 

TRADE. 

So Captain Romer and- his lieutenants went to 
dine with the worthy Governor Senhor Francisco 
Alfonso Toledo Bignoso Letotti, while Yoosoof 
returned to the creek to carry out his deep-laid 
plans. 

In regard to the dinner, let it suffice to observe 
that it was good, and that the Governor was urbane, 
hospitable, communicative, and every way agreeable. 
It is probable that if he had been trained in another 
sphere and in different circumstances he might have 
been a better man. As things stood, he was un- 
questionably a pleasant one, and Captain Romer 
found it hard to believe that he was an underhand 
schemer. 

Nothing could exceed the open way in which 
Senhor Letotti condemned the slave-trade, praised the 
% English for their zeal in attempting to suppress it, 
explained that the King of Portugal and the Sultan 
of Zanzibar were equally anxious for its total ex- 


BLACK IVORY. 


47 


tinction, and assured his guests that he would do 
everything that lay in his power to further their 
efforts to capture the guilty kidnappers, and to free 
the poor slaves ! 

“ But, my dear sir,” said he, at the conclusion of 
an emphatic declaration of sympathy, “ the thing is 
exceedingly difficult. You are aware that Arab 
traders swarm upon the coast, that they are reckless 
men, who possess boats and money in abundance, 
that the trade is very profitable, and that, being to 
some extent real traders in ivory, palm-oil, indigo, 
and other kinds of native produce, these men have 
many ruses and methods — what you English call 
dodges — whereby they can deceive even the most 
sharp-sighted and energetic. The Arabs are smart 
smugglers of negroes — very much as your people 
who live in the Scottish land are smart smugglers 
of the dew of the mountain — what your great poet 
Burns speaks much of — I forget its name — it is not 
easy to put them down.” 

After dinner, Senhor Letotti led the officers into 
his garden, and showed them his fruit-trees and 
offices, also his domestic slaves, who looked healthy, 
well cared for, and really in some degree happy. 

He did not, however, tell his guests that, being 
naturally a humane man, his slaves were better 
treated than any other slaves in the town. He did 
not remind them that, being slaves, they were his 


48 


BLACK IVORY. 


property, his goods and chattels, and that he pos- 
sessed the right and the power to flay them alive if 
so disposed. He did not explain that many in the 
town were so disposed ; that cruelty grows and feeds 
upon itself ; that there were ladies and gentlemen 
there who flogged their slaves — men, women, and 
children— ^nearly to the death ; that one gentleman 
of an irascible disposition, when irritated by some 
slight oversight on the part of the unfortunate boy 
who acted as his valet, could find no relief to his 
feelings until he had welted him first into a condi- 
tion of unutterable terror, and then into a state of 
insensibility. Neither did he inform them that a 
certain lady in the town, who seemed at most times 
to be possessed of a reasonably quiet spirit, was roused 
once to such a degree by a female slave that she 
caused her to be forcibly held, thrust a boiling hot 
egg into her mouth, skewered her lips together with 
a sail-needle, and then striking her cheeks, burst 
the egg, and let the scalding contents run down her 
throat . 1 <- 

No, nothing of all this did the amiable Governor 
Letotti so much as hint at. He would not for the 
world have shocked the sensibilities of his guests by 
the recital of such cruelties. To say truth, the 
worthy man himself did not like to speak or think 
of them. In this respect he resembled a certain 

1 See Gonsul M'Leod’s Travels, vol. ii. p. 32. 


BLACK IVORY. 


49 


class among ourselves, who, rather than submit to a 
little probing of their feelings for a few minutes, 
would prefer to miss the chance of making an intel- 
ligently indignant protest against slavery, and would 
allow the bodies and souls of their fellow-men to 
continue writhing in agony through all time. 

It was much more gratifying to the feelings of 
Senhor Letotti to convey his guests to the drawing- 
room, and there gratify their palates with excellent 
coffee, while the graceful, and now clothed, Azint4 
brought "a Spanish guitar to the Senhorina Mara- 
quita, whose sweet voice soon charmed away all 
thoughts of the cruel side of slavery. But duty ere 
long stepped in to call the guests to other scenes. 

“ What a sweet girl the Senhorina is !” remarked 
Captain Bomer while on his way to the beach. 

“Ay, and what a pretty girl Azint4 is, black 
though she he,” observed Lieutenant Small. 

“ Call her not black ; she is brown — a brunette,” 
said the captain. 

“ I wonder how we should feel,” said Lindsay, “ if 
the tables were turned, and our women and children, 
with our stoutest young men, were forcibly taken 
from us by thousands every year, and imported into 
Africa to grind the corn and hoe the fields of the 
black man. Poor Azinte ! ” 

“Do you know anything of her history ?” inquired 
Mr. Small. 

D 


50 


BLACK IVORY. 


“A little. I had some conversation in French 
with the Senhorina just before we left — ” 

“ Yes, I observed that,” interrupted the captain, 
with a quiet smile. 

“ And,” continued Lindsay, “ she told me that she 
had discovered, through an interpreter, that the poor 
girl is married, and that her home is far away in the 
interior. She was caught, with many others, while 
out working in the fields one day several months 
ago, by a party of slave-traders, under an Arab named 
Yoosocf, and carried off. Her husband was absent 
at the time; her infant boy was with its grand- 
mother in their village, and she thinks may have 
escaped -into the woods, but she has not seen any 
of them again since the day of her capture.” 

“ It is a sad case,” said the captain, “ and yet, bad 
though it be, it might be far worse, for Azibfc^s 
master and mistress are very kind, which is more than 
can be said of most slave-owners in this region.” 

In a few minutes the captain’s gig was alongside 
the f Firefly,’ and soon afterwards that vessel quietly 
put to sea. Of course it was impossible that she 
should depart unobserved, but her commander took the 
precaution to run due south at first, exactly opposite 
to the direction of his true course, intending to make a 
wide sweep out to sea, and thus get unobserved to the 
northward of the place where the slaver’s dhow 
was supposed to be lying, in time to- intercept it. 


BLACK IVORY. 


51 


Yoosoof, from a neighbouring height, watched 
the manoeuvre, and thoroughly understood it. When 
the vessel had disappeared into the shades of night 
that brooded over the sea, he smiled calmly, and 
in a placid frame of mind betook himself to his lair 
in the creek beside the mangrove trees. 

"He found Harold Seadrift and Disco Lillihammer 
in the hut, somewhat, impatient of his prolonged 
absence, and a dozen of his men looking rather 
suspiciously at the strangers. 

“ Is all ready, Moosa ?” he inquired of a powerful 
man, half- Portuguese half-negro in appearance, who 
met him outside the door of the hut. 

“ All ready,” replied the half-caste, in a gruff tone 
of voice, “ but what are you going to do with these 
English brutes ? ” 

“ Take them with us, of course,” replied Yoosoof. 

“ Eor what end ?” 

“ Eor our own safety. Why, don’t you see, Moosa, 
that if we had set them free, they might have 
discovered the town and given information to the 
cruiser about us, which would have been awkward ? 
We might now, indeed, set them free, for the cruiser 
is gone, but I still have good reason for wishing to 
take them with me. They think that we have but 
one boat in this creek, and I should like to make 
use of them for the purpose of propagating that false 
idea. I have had the good luck while in the town 


52 


BLACK IVORY. 


to find an opportunity of giving one of the sailors of 
the cruiser a little information as to my movements 
— some of it true, some of it false — which will 
perhaps do us a service.” 

The Arab smiled slightly as he said this. 

“ Do these men know our trade ?” asked Moosa. 

(t I think they suspect it,” answered Yoosoof. 

“ And what if they be not willing to go with us ?” 
demanded Moosa. 

“Can twelve men not manage two?” asked the Arab. 

Dark though the night had become by that time, 
there was sufficient light to gleam on the teeth that 
Moosa exposed on receiving this reply. 

“Now, Moosa, we must be prompt,” continued 
Yoosoof; “let some of you get round behind the 
Englishmen, and have the slave-chains handy. Keep 
your eye on me while I talk with them ; if they are 
refractory, a nod shall be the signal.” 

Entering the hut, Yoosoof informed Harold that 
it was now time to set sail. “ Good, we are ready,” 
said Harold, rising, “ but tell me one thing before 
my comrade and I agree to go with you, — tell us 
honestly if you are engaged in the slave-trade.” 

A slight smile curled the Arab’s thin lip as he 
replied — 

“ If I be a slave-trader, I cannot speak honestly, so 
you Engleesh think. But I do tell you — yes, I am.” 

“Then, I tell you honestly,” said Harold, “that T 


BLACK IVORY. 


53 


won't go with you. I’ll have nothing, to do with 
slavers.” 

“ Them ’s my sentiments to a tee,” said Disco, 
with emphasis, thumping his left palm as usual 
with his right fist, by way of sheating his remark 
home — to use his own words. 

“But you will both perish on this uninhabited 
coast,” said Yoosoof. 

“So be it,” replied Harold ; “ I had rather run the 
risk of starving than travel in company with slave- 
traders. Besides, I doubt the truth of what you say. 
There must be several villages not very far off, if my 
information in regard to the Coast be not altogether 
wrong.” 

Yoosoof -waited for no more. He nodded to 
Moosa, who instantly threw a noose round Harold’s 
arms, and drew it tight. The same operation was 
performed for Disco, by a stout fellow who stood 
behind him, and almost before they realized what 
had occurred, they were seized by a number of men. 

It must not be supposed that two able-bodied 
Englishmen quietly submitted at once to this sort, 
of treatment. On the contrary, a struggle ensued 
that shook the walls of the little hut so violently as 
almost to bring it down upon the heads of the com- 
batants. The instant that Harold felt the rough clasp 
of Moosa’s arms, he bent himself forward with such 
force as to fling that worthy completely over his 


54 


BLACK IVORY. 


head, and lay him flat on the floor, but two of 
the other slavers seized Harold’s arms, a third 
grasped him round the waist, and a fourth rapidly 
secured the ropes that had been thrown around him. 
Disco’s mode of action, although somewhat different, 
was quite as vigorous. On being grasped he uttered 
a deep roar of surprise and rage, and, raising his foot, 
struck out therewith at a man who advanced to seize 
him in front. The kick not only tumbled the man 
over a low bench and drove his head against the 
wall, but it caused the kicker himself to recoil on 
his foes behind with such force that they all. fell on 
the floor together, when by their united weight the 
slavers managed to crush the unfortunate Disco, not, 
indeed, into submission, but into inaction. 

His tongue, however, not being tied, continued to 
pour forth somewhat powerful epithets, until Harold 
very strongly advised him to cease. 

“ If you want to retain a whole skin,” he said, 

“ you had better keep a quiet tongue.” 

“ P’raps you’re right, sir,” said Disco, after a 
moment’s consideration, “ but it ain’t easy to shut * 
up in the succumstances.” 

After they had thoroughly secured the Englishmen, 
the traders led them down the bank of the creek tc 
the spot where the dhow was moored. In the dark 
it appeared to Harold and his companion to be the 
same dhow, but this was not so. The boat by which 


BLACK IVORY. 


55 


they had crossed the creek had been removed up 
the water, and its place was now occupied by the 
dhow into which had been put the maimed and 
worn-out slaves of the hand whose arrival we have 
described. The hold of the little vessel was very 
dark, nevertheless there was light enough to enable 
the Englishmen to guess that the rows of black 
objects just perceptible within it were slaves. If 
they had entertained any uncertainty on this point, 
the odour that saluted them as they passed to the 
stem would have quickly dispelled their doubts. 

It was evident from the manner of the slavers 
that they did not now fear discovery, because they 
talked loudly as they pushed off and rowed away. 
Soon they were out of the creek, and the roar of 
breakers was heard. Much caution was displayed 
in guiding the dhow through these, for the channel 
was narrow, and darkness rendered its position 
almost indiscernible. At last the sail was hoisted, 
the boat bent over to a smart breeze, and held away 
in a north-easterly direction. As the night wore on 
this breeze became lighter, and most of the crew 
being asleep, deep silence prevailed on board the 
slave-dhow, save that, ever and anon, a pitiful wail, 
as of a sick child, or a convulsive sob, issued from 
the hold. 

Harold and Disco sat beside each other in the 
stern, with an armed half-caste on each side, and 


56 


BLACK IVORY. 


Yoosoof in front. Their thoughts were busy enough 
at first, but neither spoke to the other. As the 
night advanced both fell into an uneasy slumber. 

When Harold awoke, the grey dawn was beginning 
to break in the east, and there was sufficient light to 
render objects dimly visible. At first he scarcely recol- 
lected where he was, but the pain caused by the ropes 
that bound him soon refreshed his memory. Casting 
his eyes quickly towards the hold, his heart sank 
within him at the sight he there beheld. Yoosoofs 
Black Ivory was not of the best quality, but there 
was a good deal of it, which rendered judicious 
packing necessary. So many of his gang had be- 
come worthless as an article of trade, through suffer- 
ing on the way down to the coast, that the boat could 
scarce contain them all. They were packed sitting 
on their haunches in rows, each with his knees close 
to his chin, and all jammed so tightly together that 
none could rise up or lie down. Men, women, and 
little children sat in this position with an expression of 
indescribable hopelessness and apathy on 'their faces. 
The infants, of which there were several, lay motionless 
on their mothers’ shrunken breasts. God help them ! 
they were indeed utterly worthless as pieces of 
merchandise. The long journey and hard treatment 
had worn all of them to mere skin and bone, and 
many were suffering from bad sores caused by the 
slave-irons and the unmerciful application of the 


BLACK IVORY. 


57 


lash. No one knew better than Yoosoof that this 
was his “ damaged stock ” — hopelessly damaged, and 
he meant to make the best use he could of it. 

The sun arose in all its splendour, and revealed 
more clearly to the horrified Englishmen all the 
wretchedness of the hold, but for a considerable time 
they did not speak. The circumstances in which 
they found themselves seemed to have bereft them 
of the faculty of speech. The morning advanced, 
and Yoosoof, with his men, took a frugal breakfast, 
but they did not offer any to Harold or Disco. As 
these unfortunates had, however, supped heartily, 
they did not mind that. So much could not have 
been said for the slaves. They had received their 
last meal, of uncooked rice and water, a very insuffi- 
cient one, about thirty- six hours before, and as they 
watched the traders at breakfast their glaring eyes 
told eloquently of their sufferings. 

Had these been Yoosoof s valuable stock, his un- 
damaged goods, he would have given them a suffi- 
ciency of food to have kept them up to condition as 
long as he possessed them ; but, being what they 
were, a very little drop of water and a few grains 
of raw rice at noon was deemed sufficient to prevent 
absolute starvation. 

“How can you have the heart,” said Harold 
at last, turning to Yoosoof, “to treat these poor 
creatures so. cruelly?” 


58 


BLACK IVORY. 


Yoosoof shrugged his shoulders. 

“ My fader treat them so ; I 'follow my fader's 
footsteps.” 

“ But have you no pity for them ? Don’t you 
think they have hearts and feelings like ourselves?” 
returned Harold earnestly. 

“ No,” replied the Arab coldly. “ They have no 
feelings. Hard as the stone. They care not for mother, 
or child, or husband. Only brutes — cattle.” 

Harold was so disgusted with this reply that he 
relapsed into silence. 

Towards the afternoon, while the dhow was 
running close in-shore, a vessel hove in sight on the 
horizon. A few minutes sufficed to show that it was 
a steamer. It was of course observed and closely 
watched by the slave-dealers as well as by Harold 
Seadrift and Disco Lillihammer, who became 
sanguinely hopeful that it might turn out to be a 
British man-of-war. Had they known that Yoosoof 
was equally anxious and hopeful on that point, they 
would have been much surprised ; but the wily 
Arab pretended to be greatly alarmed, and when the 
Union Jack became clearly visible his excitement 
increased. He gave some hurried orders to his 
men, who laughed sarcastically as they obeyed 
them. 

“ Yoosoof,” said Harold, with a slight feeling of 
exultation, "your plans seem about to miscarry?” 


BLACK IVORY. 


59 


“ No, they not miscarry yet,” replied the Arab, 
with a grim smile. 

“Tell me, Yoosoof,” resumed Harold, prompted 
by strong curiosity, “ why have you carried us off 
bound in this fashion ?” 

Another smile, more grim than the former, crossed 
the Arab’s visage as he replied — 

“ Me carry you off ’cause that sheep,” pointing to 
the steamer, “lie not two mile off, near to town 
of Governor Letotti, when I first met you. We not 
want you to let thems know ’bout us, so I carry you 
off, and I bind you ’cause you strong.” 

“ Ha ! that ’s plain and reasonable,” returned 
Harold, scarce able to restrain a laugh at the man’s 
cool impudence. “ But it would appear that some 
one else has carried the news ; so, you see, you have 
been outwitted after all.” 

“ Perhaps. We shall see,” replied the Arab, with 
something approaching to a chuckle. 

Altering the course of the boat, Yoosoof now 
ran her somewhat off the shore, as if with a view to 
get round a headland that lay to the northward. 
This evidently drew the attention of the steamer — 
which was none other than the ‘ Firefly ’ — for she at 
once altered her course and ran in-shore so as to 
intercept the dhow. Seeing this, Yoosoof turned 
back and made for the land at a place where there 
was a long line of breakers close to the shore. To 


60 


BLACK IVORY. 


run amongst these seemed to be equivalent to 
running on certain destruction, nevertheless the 
Arab held on, with compressed lips and a frowning 
brow. Yoosoof looked quite like a man who would 
rather throw away his life than gratify his enemy, 
and the Englishmen, who were fully alive to their 
danger, began to feel rather uneasy — which was a 
very pardonable sensation, when it is remembered 
that their arms being fast bound, rendered them 
utterly unable to help themselves in case of the boat 
capsizing. 

The ‘ Firefly * was by this time near enough to 
hold converse with the dhow through the medium of 
artillery. Soon a puff of white smoke burst from her 
bow,' and a round shot dropped a few yards astern 
of the boat. 

“That’s a broad hint, my lad, so you’d better 
give in,” said Lillihammer, scarce able to suppress a 
look of triumph. 

Yoosoof paid not the slightest attention to the 
remark, but held on his course. 

“ Surely you don’t intend to risk the lives of these 
poor creatures in such a surf?” said Harold anxiously; 
“ weak and worn as they are, their doom is sealed if 
we capsize.” 

Still the Arab paid no attention, but continued to 
gaze steadily at the breakers. 

Harold, turning his eyes in the same direction, 


BLACK IVORY. 61 

/ 

observed something like a narrow channel running 
through them. He was enough of a seaman to 
understand that only one who was skilled in such 
navigation could pass in safety. 

“They're lowering a boat,” said Disco, whose 
attention was engrossed by the manoeuvres of the 
‘ Firefly/ 

Soon the boat left the side of the vessel, which 
was compelled to check her speed for fear of running 
on the reef. Another gun was fired as she came 
round, and the shot dropped right in front of the 
dhow, sending a column of water high into the air. 
Still Yoosoof held on until close to the breakers, 
when, to the surprise of the Englishmen, he suddenl} r 
threw the boat’s head into the wind. 

“ You can steer,” he said sternly to Disco. 
“ Come, take the helm an’ go to your ship ; or, if 
you choose, go on the breakers.” 

He laughed fiercely as he said this, and next 
moment plunged into the sea followed by his crew. 

Disco, speechless with amazement, rose up and 
sprang to the helm. Of course he could not use 
his bound hands, but one of his legs answered 
almost as welL He allowed the boat to come round 
until the sail filled on the other tack, and then look- 
ing back, saw the heads of the Arabs as they swam 
through the channel and made for the shore. In a 
few minutes they gained it, and, after uttering a 


62 


BLACK IVORY. 


shout of defiance, ran up into the bushes and dis- 
appeared. 

Meanwhile the ‘ Firefly’s’ boat made straight for 
the dhow, and was soon near enough to hail. 

“ Heave-to,” cried an interpreter in Arabic. 

“ Speak your own mother tongue and I ’ll answer 
ye,” replied Disco. 

“ Heave-to, or I ’ll sink you,” shouted Mr. Small, 
who was in charge. 

" I’m just agoin’ to do it, sir,” replied Disco, - 
running the dhow into the wind until the sail shook. 

Another moment and the boat was alongside. 

“ Jump aboard and handle the sail, lads ; I can’t 
help ’ee no further,” said Disco. 

The invitation was unnecessary. The moment 
the two boats touched, the blue-jackets swarmed on 
board, cutlass in hand, and took possession. 

“ Why, what ! — where did you come from ?” asked 
the lieutenant, looking in profound astonishment at 
Harold and his companion. 

“We are Englishmen, as you see,” replied Harold, 
unable to restrain a smile ; “ have been. wrecked and 
caught by the villains who have just escaped you.” 

“ I see — well, no time for talking just now ; cut 
them loose, Jackson. Make fast the sheet — now 
then.” 

In a few minutes the dhow ranged up alongside 
the ‘ Firefly,’ and our heroes, with the poor slaves. 


BLACK IVORY. 


63 


were quickly transferred to the man-of-war’s deck, 
where Harold told his tale to Captain Eomer. 

As we have already stated, there were a number 
of slaves on board the ‘ Firefly,’ which had been 
rescued from various Arab dhows. The gang now 
received on board made their numbers so great, that 
it became absolutely necessary to run to the nearest 
port to discharge them. 

We have already remarked on the necessity that 
lies on our cruisers, when overladen with rescued 
slaves, to run to a distant port of discharge to land 
them, and on the readiness of the slave-traders to 
take advantage of their opportunity, and run north 
with full cargoes with impunity when some of the 
cruisers are absent, for it is not possible for a small 
fleet to guard upwards of a thousand miles of coast 
effectually, or even in any degree usefully. If we 
possessed a port of discharge — a British station and 
settlement — on the mainland of the east coast of 
Africa, this difficulty would not exist. As it is, 
although we place several men-of-war on a station, 
the evil will not be cured, for just in proportion as 
these are successful in making captures, will arise 
the necessity of their leaving the station for weeks 
at a time unguarded. 

Thus it fell out on the occasion of which we write. 
The presence of the large slave-freight on board the 
man-of-war was intolerable. Captain Eomer was 


64 


BLACK IVORY. 


compelled to hurry off to the Seychelles Islands. 
He sailed with the monsoon, but had to steam back 
against it. During this period another vessel, simi- 
larly freighted, had to run to discharge at Aden. 
The seas were thus comparatively clear of cruisers. 
The Arabs seized their opportunity, and a stream of 
dhows and larger vessels swept out from the various 
creeks and ports all along the East African coast, 
filled to overflowing with slaves. 

Among these were the four large dhows of our 
friend Yoosoof. Having, as we have seen, made a 
slight sacrifice of damaged and unsaleable goods and 
chattels, in order to clear the way, he proceeded 
north, touching at various ports where he filled up 
his living cargo, and finally got clear off, not with 
goods damaged beyond repair, but with thousands 
of the sons and daughters of Africa in their youthful 
prime. 

In the interior each man cost him about- four 
yards of cotton cloth, worth a few pence ; each 
woman three yards, and each child two yards, and 
of course in cases where he stole them, they cost 
him nothing. On the coast these would sell at from 
£8 to £12 each, and in Arabia at from £20 to £40. 

. We mention this to show what strong inducement 
there was for Yoosoof to run a good deal of risk in 
carrying on this profitable and accursed traffic. 

But you must not fancy, goo(j reader, that what 


BLACK IVORY. 


65 


we have described is given as a specimen of the 
extent to which the slave-trade on that coast is car- 
ried. It is but as a specimen of the manner thereof. 
It is certainly within the mark to say that at least 
thirty thousand natives are annually carried away 
as slaves from the east coast of Africa. 

Sir Bartle Frere, in addressing a meeting of the 
chief native inhabitants of Bombay in April 1873, 
said, — “ Let me assure you, in conclusion, that what 
you have heard of the horrors of the slave-trade is 
in no way exaggerated. We have seen so much of 
the horrors which were going on that we can have 
no doubt that what you read in books, which are so 
often spoken of as containing exaggerations, is ex- 
aggerated in no respect. The evil is much- greater 
than anything you can conceive. Among the poorer 
class of Africans there is nothing like, security from 
fathers and mothers being put to death in order that 
their children may be captured — and, referring to 
the east coast alone , he says that — “ thirty thousand, 
or mpre, human beings, are exported every year .from 
Africa.” 

Dr. Livingstone tell| us that, on the average, 
about one out of every Tive captured human beings 
reaches the coast alive. The other four perish or 
are murdered on the way, so that the thirty thousand 
annually exported, as stated by Sir Bartle Frere, re- 
presents a loss of 150,000 human beings annually 


66 


BLACK IVORY. 


from the east coast alone, altogether irrespective of 
the enormous and constant flow of slaves to the 
north by way of the White Nile and Egypt. 

Yoosoof’s venture was therefore but a drop in the 
vast river of blood which is drained annually from 
poor Africa’s veins — blood which flows at the pre- 
sent time as copiously and constantly as it ever did 
in the days of old — blood which cries aloud to God 
for vengeance, and for the flow of which we, ds a 
nation, are far from blameless. 


black ivory. 


67 


CHAPTER IV. 

O WHICH OUR HEROES SEE STRANGE SIGHTS AT ZANZIBAR, AND 
RESOLVE UPON TAKING A BOLD STEP. 

Before proceeding to the Seychelles, the ‘Firefly’ 
touched at the island of Zanzibar, and there landed 
our hero Harold Seadrift and his comrade in mis- 
fortune, Disco Lillihammer. 

Here, one brilliant afternoon, the two friends sat 
down under a palm-tree to hold what Disco called 
a palaver. The spot commanded a fine view of the 
town aud harbour of Zanzibar. 

We repeat that the afternoon was brilliant, but it 
is right to add that it required an African body and 
mind fully to appreciate the pleasures of it. The 
sun’s rays were blistering, the heat was intense, and 
the air was stifling. Harold lay down and gasped, 
Disco followed his example, and sighed. After a 
few minutes spent in a species of imbecile contem- 
plation of things in general, the latter raised himself 
to a sitting posture, and proceeded slowly to fill 
and light his pipe. Harold was no smoker, but he 
derived a certain dreamy enjoyment from gazing at 


68 


BLACK IVORY. 


Disco, and wondering how he could smoke in such 
hot weather. 

“ We ’ll get used to it, I s’pose, like the eels,” 
observed Disco, when the pipe was in full blast. 

“ Of course we shall,” replied Harold ; “ and now 
that we have come to an anchor, let me explain the 
project 'which has been for some days maturing in 
my mind.” 

“ All right ; fire away, sir,” said the sailor, blow- 
ing a long thin cloud from his lips. 

“ You are aware,” said Harold, “ that I came out 
here as supercargo of my father’s vessel” (Disco 
nodded), “ but you are not aware that my chief 
object . in coming was to see a little of the world in 
general, and of the African part of it in particular. 
Since my arrival you and I have seen a few 
things, which have opened up my mind in regard 
to slavery; we have now been a fortnight in this 
town, and my father’s agent has enlightened me still 
further on the subject, insomuch that I now feel 
within me an intense desire to make an excursion 
into the interior of Africa ; indeed, I have resolved 
to do so, for the purpose of seeing its capabilities in 
a commercial point of view, of observing how the 
slave-trade is conducted at its fountain-head, and of 
enjoying a little of the scenery and the sport peculiar 
to this land of Ham.” 

“W’y, you speaks like a book, sir,” said Disco, 


BLACK IVORY. 


69 


emitting a prolonged puff, “ an’ it ain’t for the likes 
o’ me to give an opinion on that there ; but if I may 
make bold to ax, sir, how do you mean to travel — 
on the back of a elephant or a ry-noceris ? — for it 
seems to me that there ain’t much in the shape o’ 
locomotives or ’busses hereabouts — not even cabs.” 

“ I shall go in a canoe,” replied Harold ; “ but my 
reason for broaching the subject just now is, that I 
may ask if you are willing to go with me.” 

“ There ’s no occasion to ax that, sir ; I’m your 
man — north or south, east or west, it ’s all the-eame 
to me. I ’ve bin born to roll about the world, and 
it matters little whether I rolls- ashore or afloat — 
though I prefers the- latter.” 

“Well, then, that ’s settled,” said Harold, with a 
look of satisfaction ; “ I have already arranged with 
our agent here to advance me what I require in the 
way of funds, and shall hire men and canoes when 
we get down to the Zambesi — ” 

“ The Zam — wot, sir ?” 

“ The Zambesi ; did you never hear of it before V* 

“ Never, nor don’t know wot it is, sir.” 

“ It is a^iver ; one of thelargest on the east coast, 
which has been well - described by Dr. Livingstone, 
that, greatest of travellers/ 1 whose chief object in 
travelling is, as he himself says, to raise the negroes 
out of their present degraded condition, and free them 
from the curse of slavery.” 


70 


BLACK IVORY. 


“ That ’s the man to my mind,” said Disco em- 
phatically ; “good luck to him. — But w’en d’ you 
mean to start for the Zambizzy, sir ?” 

“ In a few days. It will take that time to get 
everything ready, and our money packed.” 

“ Our money packed ! ” echoed the sailor, with a 
look of surprise, “ w’y, wot d’ye mean ?” 

“Just what I say. The money current in the 
interior of Africa is rather cumbrous, being neither 
more nor less than goods. You ’ll never guess what 
sort — try.” 

“ Bum,” said Disco. 

“ No.” 

“ Pipes and ’baccy.” 

Harold shook his head. 

“ Never could guess nothin’,” said Disco, replacing 
the pipe, which he had removed for a few moments 
from his lips ; “ I gives it up.” 

“What would you say to cotton cloth, and thick 
brass wire, and glass beads, being the chief currency 
in Central Africa?” said Harold. 

“You don’t mean it, sir?” 

“ Indeed I do, and as these articles must be carried 
in large quantities, if we mean to travel far into the 
land, there will be more bales and coils than you and 
I could well carry in our waistcoat pockets.” 

“ That ’s true, sir,” replied Disco, looking earnestly 
at a couple of negro slaves who chanced to pass 


BLA.CK IVORY. 


71 


along the neighbouring footpath at that moment, 
singing carelessly. “ Them poor critters don’t seem 
to be so -miserable- after all.” 

" That is because the nigger is naturally ar jolly, 
light-hearted fellow,” said Harold, “and when his 
immediate and more pressing- troubles are removed 
he accommodates himself to circumstances, and 
sings, as you hear. If these fellows were to annoy 
their masters and get a thrashing, you ’d hear them 
sing in another key. The evils of most things don’t 
show on the surface. You must get behind the scenes 
to understand them. You and I have already had 
one or two^peeps behind the scenes.” 

“ We have indeed, sir,” replied Disco, frowning, 
and closing his fists involuntarily, as he thought of 
Yoosoof and the dhow. 

“ How, then,” said Harold, rising, as Disco shook 
the, ashes out of his little black pipe, and placed 
that beloved implement in the pocket of his coat, 
“ let us return to the harbour, and see what chance 
there is of getting a passage to the Zambesi, in an 
honest trading dhow — if there is such a thing in 
Zanzibar.” 

On their way to the harbour they had to pass 
through the-slave-market. This was not the first time 
they had visited the scene of this iniquitous traffic, 
but neither Harold nor Disco could accustom them- 
selves to it. Every time they entered the market, 


72 


BLACK IVORY 


their feelings of indignation became so intense that 
it was with the utmost difficulty they could control 
them. When Disco saw handsome negro men and 
good-looking girls put up for public sale, — their 
mouths rudely opened, and their teeth examined by 
cool, calculating Arabs, just as if they had been do- 
mestic cattle— his spirit boiled within him, his fingers 
tingled, and he felt a terrible inclination to make a 
wild attack, single-handed, on the entire population 
of Zanzibar, though he might perish in the execution 
of vengeance and the relief of his feelings ! We need 
scarcely add that his discretion saved him. They soon 
reached the small square in which the market was 
held. Here they saw a fine-looking young woman 
sold to a grave elderly Arab for a sum equal to about 
eight pounds sterling.' Passing hastily on, they ob- 
served another “lot,” a tall stalwart man, having 
his various “ points ” examined, and stopped to see 
the result. His owner, thinking, perhaps, that he 
seemed a little sluggish in his movements, raised his 
whip and caused it to fall upon his flank with such 
vigour that the poor fellow, taken by surprise, 
leaped high into the air, and uttered a yell of pain. 
The strength and activity of the man were un- 
questionable, and he soon found a purchaser. 

But all the slaves were not fine -looking or stal- 
wart like the two just referred to. Many of them 
were most miserable objects. Some stood, others 


BLACK IVORY. 


73 


were seated as if incapable of standing, so emaciated 
were they. Not a few were mere skeletons, with 
life and. skin. Near the middle of the square, groups 
of children were arranged — some standing up to be 
inspected, others sitting down. These ranged from 
five years and upwards, but there was not one that 
betrayed the slightest tendency to mirth, and Disco 
came to the conclusion that negro children do not 
play, but afterwards discovered his -mistake, finding 
that their exuberant jollity “at home” was not 
less than that of the children of other lands. 
These little slaves had long ago been terrified, and 
beaten, and starved into listless, apathetic and silent 
creatures. 

Further on, a row of young women attracted their 
attention. They were ranged in a semicircle, all 
nearly in a state of nudity, waiting to be sold. A 
group of Arabs stood in front of them, conversing. 
One of these women looked such a picture of woe 
that Disco felt irresistibly impelled to stop. There 
were no, tears in her eyes; the fountain appeared to 
have been dried up, but, apparently, without abating 
the grief which was stamped in deep lines on her 
young countenance, and which burst frequently 
from her breast in convulsive sobs. Our Englishmen 
were not only shocked hut surprised at this woman's 
aspect, for their experience had hitherto gone to 
show that the slaves usually became callous under 


74 


BLACK IVORY. 


tlieir sufferings. Whatever of humanity might have 
originally belonged to them seemed to have been 
entirely driven out of them by the cruelties and 
indignities they had so long suffered at the hands of 
their captors . 1 

“ Wot 's the matter with her, poor thing ?’’ asked 
Disco of a half-caste Portuguese, dressed in some- 
thing like the garb of a sailor. 

“ Oh, notting,” answered the man in broken 
English, with a look of indifference, “ she have lose, 
her chile, dat alL” 

“ Lost her child ? how — wot d’ee mean ? ” 

“ Dey hab sole de chile,” replied the man ; “ was 
good fat boy, 'bout two-yer olei, S’pose she hab carry 
him for months troo de woods, an' over de hills 
down to coast, an’ tink she keep him altogether. 
But she mistake. One trader come here’bout one 
hour past. He want boy — not want modder ; so he 
buy de chile. Modder- fight a littil at first, but de 
owner soon make her quiet. Oh, it -notting at all. 
She cry a littil — soon forget her chile, an’ get all right.” 

“ Come, I can’t stand this,” exclaimed Harold, 
hastening away. 

Disco said nothing, but, to the - amazement of 
the half-caste, he grasped him by the collar, and 
hurled him aside with a degree of force that caused 
him to stagger and fall with stunning violence to the 

1 See Captain Snlivan’s Dhoio-chasing in Zanzibar Waters, p. 252. 


BLACK IVORY. 


75 


ground. Disco then strode away after his friend, 
his face and eyes blazing with various emotions, 
among which towering indignation predominated. 

In a few minutes they reached the harbour, and, 
while making inquiries as to the starting of trading 
dhows for the south, they succeeded in calming their 
feelings down to something like their ordinary 
condition. 

The harbour was crowded with dhows of all shapes 
and sizes, most of them laden with slaves, some dis- 
charging cargoes for the Zanzibar market, others 
preparing to sail, under protection of a pass from the 
Sultan, for Lamoo, which is the northern limit of the 
Zanzibar dominions, and, therefore, of the so-called 
“ domestic ” slave-trade. 

There would be something particularly humorous 
in the barefacedness of this august Sultan of Zanzi- 
bar, if it were connected with anything less horrible 
than slavery. For instance, there is something 
almost .amusing in the fact that dhows were sailing 
every day for Lamoo with hundreds of slaves, 
although that small town was known to be very 
much, overstocked at the time. It was also quite 
entertaining to know that the commanders of the 
French and English war- vessels lying in the harbour 
at the time were aware of this, and that the Sultan 
knew it, and that, in short, everybody knew it, but 
that nobody appeared to have the power to prevent 


76 


BLACK IVORY 


it ! Even the Sultan who granted the permits or 
passes to the owners of the dhows, although he 
professed to wish to check the slave-trade, could not 
prevent it. Wasn’t that strange — wasn’t it curious ? 
The Sultan derived by far the largest portion of 
his revenue from the tax levied on the export of 
slaves — amounting to somewhere about £10,000 a 
year — but that had nothing to do with it, of course 
not, oh dear no ! Then there was another very ludi- 
crous phase of this oriental, not to say transcendental, 
potentate’s barefacedness. He knew, and probably 
admitted, that about 2000, some say 4000, slaves a 
year were sufficient to meet the home-consumption of 
that commodity, and he also knew, but probably 
did not admit, that not fewer than 30,000 slaves 
were annually exported from Zanzibar to meet 
this requirement of- 4000 ! These are very curious 
specimens of miscalculation which this barefaced 
Sultan seems to have fallen into. Perhaps he was 
a bad arithmetician. 1 We have said that this- state 
of things was so at the time of our story, but we 
may now add that it still is so in this year of grace 
1873. Whether it shall continue to be so remains 
to be seen ! 

Having spent some time in fruitless inquiry, 
Harold and Disco at last, to their satisfaction, dis- 
covered an Arab dhow of known good character, 

1 Sso Captain Sulivan’s Dhow -chasing in Zanzibar Waters , p. 111. 


BLACK IVORY. 


77 


which was on the point of starting for the Zambesi 
in the course of a few days, for the purpose of legiti- 
mate traffic. It therefore became necessary that our 
hero should make his purchases and .preparations 
with all possible speed. In this he was entirely 
guided by his father’s agent, a merchant of the town, 
who understood thoroughly what was necessary for 
the intended journey. 

It is not needful here to enter into full details, 
suffice it to say that among the things purchased by 
Harold, and packed up in portable form, were a 
number of bales of common unbleached cotton, 
which is esteemed above everything by the natives 
of Africa as an article of dress — if we may dignify 
by the name of dress the>little-piece, about the size 
of a moderate. petticoat, which is the only clothing of 
some, or the smalL scrap round the loins which is 
the sole covering of- other, natives of the interior! 
There were also several, coils of thick brass , wire, 
which is much esteemed by them for making brace- 
lets and anklets; and a large quantity of -beads of 
various colours, shapes, and sizes. Of beads, we 
are told, between five and six hundred tons are 
annually manufactured in Great Britain for export 
to Africa. 

Thus supplied, our two friends embarked in the 
dhow and set sail. Wind and weather were pro- 
pitious. In few days they reached the mouths of 


78 


BLACK IVORY. 


the great river Zambesi, and landed at the port ol 
Quillimane. 

Only once on the voyage did they fall in with a 
British cruiser, which ordered them to lay-to and 
overhauled them, but, on the papers and everything 
being found correct, they were permitted to pursue 
their voyage. 

The mouths of the river Zambesi are numerous; ex- 
tending over more than ninety miles of the coast. On 
the banks of the northern mouth stands — it would 
be more appropriate to say festers — the dirty little 
Portuguese town of Quillimane. Its site is low, 
muddy, fever-haunted, and swarming with mosqui- 
toes. No man in his senses would have built a village 
thereon were it not for the facilities afforded for 
slaving. At spring or flood tides the bar may be 
safely crossed by sailing vessels, but, being far from 
land, it is always dangerous for boats. 

Here, then, Harold and Disco landed, and remained 
for some time for the purpose of engaging men. 
Appearing in the character of independent travel- 
lers, they were received with some degree of hos- 
pitality by the principal inhabitants. Had they 
gone there as simple and legitimate traders, every 
possible difficulty would have been thrown in their 
way, because the worthy people, from the Governor 
downwards, flourished, — or festered, — by means 
of the . slave-trade, and legitimate commerce is 


BLACK IVORY. 


79 


everywhere found to be destructive to the slave- 
trade. 

Dr. Livingstone and others tell us that thousands 
upon thousands of negroes have of late years gone out 
from Quillimane into slavery under the convenient 
title of “free emigrants,” their freedom being not 
quite equal to that of a carter’s horse, for while that 
animal, although enslaved, is usually well fed, the 
human animal is kept on rather low diet, lest his 
spirit should rouse him to deeds of desperate violence 
against his masters. All agricultural enterprise is 
also effectually discouraged here. When a man 
wants to visit his . country farm he has to purchase 
a permit from the Governor. If he wishes to go up 
the river to the Portuguese towns of Senna or Tette, 
a pass must be purchased from the Governor. In 
fact it would weary the reader were we to enumerate 
the various modes in which every effort of man to 
act naturally, legitimately, or progressively is ham- 
pered, unless his business be the buying and selling 
of human beings. 

At first Harold experienced great difficulty in 
procuring men. The master of the trading dhow in 
which he sailed from Zanzibar intended to remain 
as short a time as possible at Quillimane, purposing 
to visit ports further south, and as Harold had made 
up his mind not to enter the Zambesi by the Quilli- 
mane mouth, but to proceed in the dhow to one of 


80 


BLACK IVORY. 


the southern mouths, he felt tempted to give up 
the idea of procuring men until he had gone further 
south. 

“ You see, Disco,” said he, in a somewhat discon- 
solate tone, “ it won’t do to let this dhow start with- 
out us, because I want to get. down to the East 
Luavo mouth of this river, that being the mouth 
which was lately discovered and entered by Dr. 
Livingstone ; but I ’m not sure that we can procure 
men or canoes there, and our Arab skipper either 
can’t or won’t enlighten me.” 

“ Ah !” observed Disco, with a knowing look, “ he 
won’t — that ’s where it is, sir. I ’ve not a spark o’ 
belief in that man, or in any Arab on the coast. He’s 
a slaver in* disguise, he is, an’ so ’s every -mother’s 
son of ’em.” 

“ Well,” continued Harold, “ if we must start 
without them and take our chance, we must ; there 
is no 'escaping from the inevitable ; nevertheless we 
must exert ourselves to-day , because the- dhow does 
not sail till to-.morrow evening, and there is no 
saying what luck may attend our efforts before that 
time. Perseverance, you know, is the only sure 
method of- conquering difficulties.” 

“ That ’s so,” said Disco ; “ them ’s my sentiments 
’xactly. Never say die — Stick at nothing — Nail yer 
colours to the mast : them’s the mottoes that I goes 
in for — always s’posin’ that^ou ’re in the right.” 


BLACK IVORY. 


81 


“ But what if you ’re in the wrong, and the colours 
are nailed?” asked Harold, with a smile. 

“ W’y then, sir, of course I ’d have to tear ’em 
down.” 

“ So that, perhaps, it would be better not to nail 
them at all, unless you ’re very sure — eh ?” 

“ Oh, of course , sir,” replied Disco, with solemn 
emphasis. “ You don’t suppose, sir, that I would 
nail ’em to the mast except I was sure, wery sure, 
that I wos. right ? But, as you wos a sayin’, sir, 
about the gittin’ of them ’ere men.” 

Disco had an easy way of changing a subject 
when he felt that he was getting out of his depth. 

“ Well, to return to that. The fact is, I would 
not mind the men, for it’s likely that men of some 
sort will turn up somewhere, but I am very anxious 
about an ^interpreter. Without an interpreter we 
shall get on badly, I fear, for I can only speak 
French, besides a very little Latin and Greek, none 
of which languages will avail much among niggers.” 

Disco assumed a severely thoughtful expression 
of countenance. 

“ That ’s true,” he said, placing his right fist 
argumentatively in his left palm, “ and I ’m afeard 
I can’t help you there, sir. If it wos to steer a ship 
or pull a oar, or man the fore-tops’l yard in a gale 
o’ wind, or anything else in the seafarin’ line, Disco 
Lillihammer ’s your man, but I couldn’t come a 

F 


82 


BLACK IVORY. 


furrin’ lingo at no price. I knows nothin' but my 
mother tongue, — nevertheless, though I says it that 
shouldn't, I does profess to be somewhat of a dab 
at that. Once upon a time I spent six weeks in 
Dublin, an' havin’ a quick ear for moosic, I soon 
managed to get up a strong dash o' the brogue ; f but 
p’raps that wouldn't go far with the niggers.” 

About two hours after the above conversation, 
while Harold Seadrift was walking on the beach, he 
observed his faithful ally in the distance grasping a 
short thickset man by the arm, and endeavouring to 
induce him to accompany him, with a degree of 
energy that fell little short of main force. The man 
was evidently unwilling. 

As the pair drew nearer, Harold overheard Disco's 
persuasive voice : — 

“ Come now, Antonio, don’t be a fool ; it 's the 
best service you could enter. Good pay and hard 
work, and all the grub that 's goin' — what could a 
man want more ? It 's true there 's no grog, but we 
don’t need that in a climate where you 've only got 
to go out in the sun without yer hat, an’ you '11 be 
as good as drunk in ten minutes any day.” 

“ Ho, no, not possibil,” remonstrated the man, whose 
swarthy visage betrayed a mixture of cunning, fun, 
and annoyance. He was obviously a half-caste of 
the lowest type, but with more pretensions to wealth 
than many of his fellows, inasmuch as he wore, be- 


BLACK IVORY. 


83 


sides liis loin-cloth, a white cotton shooting -coat 
very much soiled, beneath the tails of which his 
thin black legs protruded ridiculously. 

“ Here you are, sir,” cried Disco, as he came up ; 
“ here ’s the man for lingo : knows the native talkee, 
as well as Portuguese, English, Arabic, and any- 
thing else you like, as far as I know. Antonio ’s his 
name. Come, sir, try him with Greek, or somethin* 
o’ that sort ” 

Harold had much ado to restrain a smile, but, 
assuming a grave aspect, he addressed the man in 
French, while Disco listened with a look of profound 
respect and admiration. 

“ W’y, wot’s wrong with ’ee, man,” exclaimed Disco, 
on observing the blank look of Antonio’s counte- 
nance ; “ don’t ’ee savay that ?” 

“ I thought you understood Portuguese ?” said 
Harold in English. 

“ So me do,” replied Antonio quickly ; “ but dat 
no Portigeese — dat Spanaish, me ’spose.” 

“ What can you speak, then ? ” demanded Harold 
sternly. 

“ Portigeese, Arbik, Eengleesh, an’ two, tree, four, 
nigger lungwiches.” 

It was very obvious that, whatever Antonio spoke, 
he spoke -nothing -correctly, but that was of no im- 
portance so long as the man could make himself 
understood. Harold therefore asked if he would 


84 


BLACK IVORY. 


join his party as interpreter, but Antonio shook his 
head. 

“Why not, man — why not?” asked Harold im- 
patiently, for he became anxious to secure him just 
in proportion as he evinced disinclination to en- 
gage. 

“ Speak up, Antonio, don’t be ashamed ; you ’ve 
no need to,” said Disco. — “ The fact is, sir, Antonio 
tells me that he has just bin married, an’ he don’t 
want to leave his wife.” 

“ Very natural,” observed Harold. “ How long is 
it since you were married?” 

“ Von veek since I did bought her.” 

“Bought her!” exclaimed Disco, with a broad 
grin; “ may I ax wot ye paid for her?” 

“ Paid !” exclaimed the man, starting and opening 
his eyes very wide, as if the contemplation of the 
vast sum were too much for him ; “ lat me zee — me 
pay me vife’s pairyints sixteen yard ob cottin clothe, 
an’ for me’s hut four yard morer.” 

“ Ye don’t say that?” exclaimed Disco, with an 
extended grin. “ Is she young an’ good-lookin’ ? ” 

“Yonge !” replied Antonio ; “yis, ver’ yonge; not 
mush more dan baby, an’ exiquitely bootiful.” 

“ Then, my good feller,” said Disco, with a laugh, 
“ the sooner you leave her the better. A week is a 
long time, an’ absence, you know, as the old song 
says, makes the heart grow fonder : besides. Mr. 


BLACK IVORY. 


85 


Seadrift will give you enough to buy a dozen wives, 
if ’ee want ’em.” 

“ Yes, I 'll pay you well,” said Harold ; “ that is, 
if you prove to he a •good interpreter.” 

Antonio pricked up his ears at this. 

“ How mush vill’oo gif?” he asked. 

“ Well, let me think ; I shall probably be away 
three or four months. What would you say, Antonio, 
to twenty yards of cotton cloth a month, and a gun 
into the bargain at the end, if you do your work 
well?” 

The pleased expression of Antonio’s face could 
not have been greater had he been offered twenty 
pounds sterling a month. The reader may estimate 
the value of this magnificent offer when we say that 
a yard of cotton cloth was at that time sevenpence- 
halfpenny, so that Antonio’s valuable services were 
obtained for about 12s. 6d. a month, and a gun which 
cost Harold less than twenty shillings in Zanzibar. 

We may remark here that Antonio afterwards 
proved to be a stout, able, willing man, and a faith- 
ful servant, although a most arrant coward. 

From this time Harold’s difficulties in regard to 
men vanished. With Antonio’s able assistance nine 
were procured ; stout, young, able-bodied fellows they 
were, and all more or less naked. Two of these were 
half-caste brothers, named respectively Jos4 and 
Oliveira ; two were half- wild negroes of the Somali 


86 


BLACK IVORY. 


tribe named Nakoda and Conda ; three were negroes 
of the Makololo tribe, who had accompanied Dr. 
Livingstone on his journey from the far interior of 
Africa to the East Coast, and were named respec- 
tively Jumbo, Zombo, and Masiko ; and finally two, 
named Songolo and Mabruki, were free negroes of 
Quillimane. Thus the whole band, including Disco 
and the leader, formed a goodly company of twelve 
stout men. 

Of course Harold armed them all with guns and 
knives. Himself and Disco carried Enfield rifles; 
besides which, Harold took with him a spare rifle of 
heavy calibre, carrying large balls, mingled with tin 
to harden them. This latter was intended for large 
game. Lauding near the East Luavo, mouth of the 
Zambesi, our hero was fortunate enough to procure 
two serviceable canoes, into which he transferred 
himself, his men, and his goods, and, bidding adieu 
to the Arab skipper of the dhow, commenced his 
journey into the interior of Africa. 


BLACK 1V011Y. 


87 


CHAPTEK V. 

IJT WHICH THE TRAVELLERS ENJOY THEMSELVES EXTREMELY, AND 
DISCO LILLIH AMMER SEES SEVERAL ASTONISHING SIGHTS. 

Behold our - travellers, then, fairly embarked on 
the waters of the great African river Zambesi, in two 
canoes, one of which is commanded by Harold Sea- 
drift, the other by Disco Lillihammer. 

Of course these enterprising chiefs were modest 
enough at first to allow two of the Makololo men, 
Jumbo and Zombo, to wield the steering oars, but 
after a few days’ practice they became sufficiently 
expert, as Disco said, to take the helm, except when 
strong currents rendered the navigation difficult, or 
when the weather became so " piping hot ” that none 
but men clad in black skins could work. 

We must however guard the reader here from sup- 
posing that it is always piping hot in Africa. There 
are occasional days when the air may be styled luke- 
warm, when the sky is serene, and when all nature 
seems joyful and enjoyable,— days in which a man 
opens his mouth wide and swallows down the atmo- 
sphere ; when he feels his health and -strength, ana 


88 




BLACK IVOJIY. 


rejoices in them, and when, if he be not an infidel, 
he also feels a sensation of gratitude to the Giver of 
all good. 

On such a day, soon after entering the East Luavo 
mouth of the Zambesi, the explorers, for such we 
may almost venture to style them, ascended the 
smooth stream close to the left bank, Harold leading, 
Disco following closely in his wake. 

The men rowed gently, as if they enjoyed the 
sweof^calm of early morning, and were unwilling to 
disturb the innumerable flocks of wild-fowl that 
chuckled among the reeds and sedges everywhere. 
Harold sat in the stern, leaning back, and only dip- 
ping the steering-oar lazily now and then to keep 
the canoe from running on the bank, or plunging 
into a forest of gigantic rushes. Disco, having re- 
solved to solace himself with a whiff of his darling 
pipe, had resigned “ the helm ” to Jumbo, and laid 
himself in a position of comfort which admitted of 
his resting his head on the gunwale in such a man- 
ner that out of the corners of his eyes he could gaze 
down into the water. 

The part of the river they had reached was so per- 
fectly still that every cloud in the sky, every man- 
grove, root and spray, and every bending bulrush, 
was perfectly reproduced in the reflected world be- 
low. Plaintive cries of wild-fowl formed appropriate 
melody, to which chattering groups of monkeys 


BLACK IVORY. 


89 


and croaking bull-frogs contributed a fine tenor and 
bass. 

“ Hallo, Disco ! ” exclaimed Harold in a subdued 
key, looking over his shoulder. 

“ Ay, ay, sir ? ” sighed the seaman, without mov- 
ing his position. 

“ Range up alongside ; I want to speak to you.” 

“Ay, ay, sir. — Jumbo, you black-faced villain, 
d’ee hear that ? give way and go 'longside.” 

Good-humoured Jumbo spoke very little English, 
but had come ta understand a good deal during his 
travels with . Dr. Livingstone. He wrinkled his 
visage and showed his brilliant teeth on receiving 
the order. Muttering a word to the men, and giving 
a vigorous stroke, he shot up alongside of the leader’s 
canoe. 

“You seem comfortable,” said Harold, with a 
laugh, as Disco’s vast visage appeared at his elbow. 

“ I is.” 

“ Isn’t this jolly ? ” continued Harold. 

“ Ho, sir, 'taint.” 

“ Why, what d’ you mean ? ” 

“ I means that jolly ain’t the word, by a long way, 
for to express the natur’ o’ my feelin’s. There ain’t 
no word as I knows on ^asjijd come up to it. If I 
wor a fylosipher, now, I ’d coin a word for the* oc- 
casion. P’raps,” continued Disco, drawing an un- 
usually long whiff from his pipe, “ p’raps, not bein' a 


90 


BLACK IVOKY. 


fylosipher, I might nevertheless try to coin one. 
Wot ’s the Latin, now, for heaven ? ” 

“ Coelum,” replied Harold. 

“ Sailum, eh ? An’ wot ’s the ’arth ? " 

“ Terra.” 

“ Terra ? well now, wot rediklous names to give to 
’em,” said Disco, shaking his head gravely, “ I can’t 
see why the ancients couldn’t ha’ bin satisfied with 
the names that* we 'd given ’em. Hows’ever, that ’s 
neither here nor there. My notion o’ the state o’ 
things that we ’ve got into here, as they now stand, 
is, that they are sailumterracious, which means 
heaven-upon-earth, d’ ee see ? ” 

As Disco pronounced the word with a powerful 
emphasis on the u-m part of it, the sound was 
rather effective, and seemed to please him. 

“ Eight, you’re right, or nearly so,” replied Harold ; 
“ but don’t you think the word savours too much of 
perfection, seeing that breakfast would add to the 
pleasure of the present delightful state of things, and 
make them even more sailumterracious than they 
are ? ” 

“ Ho, sir, no ; the word ain’t too parfect,” replied 
Disco, with a look of critical severity ; “ part of it is 
’arth, and ’arth is imparfect, bein’ susceptible of a 
many improvements, among which undoubtedly is 
breakfast, likewise dinner an’ supper, to say nothin’ 
of lunch an’ tea, which is suitable only for babbies an’ 


BLACK IVORY. 


91 


wimen ; so I agrees with you, sir, that the state o' 
things will be sailumterraciouser if we goes ashore 
an’ has breakfast.” 

He tapped the head of his very black little pipe 
on the edge of the canoe, and heaved a sigh of con- 
tentment as he watched the ash-ball that floated 
away on the stream ; then, rousing himself, he seized 
the steering-oar and followed Harold into a small 
creek, which was pleasantly overshadowed by the 
rich tropical foliage of that region. 

While breakfast was being prepared by Antonio, 
whose talents as chef-de-cuisine were of the highest 
order, Harold took his rifle and rambled into the 
bush in search of game — any kind of game, for at 
that time he had had no experience whatever of the 
sport afforded by the woods of tropical Africa, and, 
having gathered only a few vague - ideas from 
books, he went forth with all the pleasurable ex- 
citement and -expectation that we may suppose 
peculiar to discoverers. 

Disco Lillihammer having only consumed his 
first pipe of tobacco, and holding it to be a duty 
which he owed to himself to consume two before 
breakfast, remained at the camp-fire to smoke and 
chaff Antonio, whose good-nature was only equalled 
by his activity. 

"Wot have 'ee got there?” inquired Disco, as 
Antonio poured a quantity of seed into a large pot. 


92 


BLACK IVORY. 


“ Dis ? vy, hims be mapira,” replied the interpre - 
ter, with a benignant smile. “ Hims de cheep food 
ob dis konterie.” 

It must be remarked here that Antonio’s English, 
having been acquired from all sorts of persons, in 
nearly every tropical part of the globe, was some- 
what of a jumble, being a compound of the broken 
English spoken by individuals among the Germans, 
French, Portuguese, Arabs, and Negroes with whom 
he hacl at various times associated, modified by his 
own ignorance, and seasoned with a dash of his own 
inventive fancy. 

“ Is it good?” asked Disco. 

“ Goot !” exclaimed Antonio. Being unable to 
find words to express himself, the enthusiastic cook 
placed his hand on the region which was destined 
ere long to become a receptacle for the mapira, and 
rolled his eyes upwards in rapture. “ Hah I oo 
sail see behind long.” 

“ Before long, you mean,” observed the seaman. 

“ Dat all same ting, s’long’s you onerstand him,” 
replied Antonio complacently. — “ Bring vatter now, 
Jumbo. Put him in careful. Not spill on de fire 
— zo — goot.” 

Jumbo filled up the kettle carefully, and a broad 
grin overspread his black visage, partly because he 
was easily tickled into a condition of risibility by 
the cool off-hand remarks of Disco Lillihammer, 


BLACK IVORY. 


93 


and partly because, having acquired his own small 
smattering of English from Dr. Livingstone, he was 
intelligent enough to perceive that in regard to 
Antonio's language there was something peculiar. 

“ Now, go fitch noder kittle — queek.” 

“ Yis, sar — zo — goot,” replied Jumbo, mimicking 
the interpreter, and going off with a vociferous laugh 
at his little joke, in which he was joined by his sable 
clansmen, Masiko and Zombo. 

“ Hims got 'nuff of impoodidence,” said the inter- 
preter, as he bustled about his avocations. 

“ He ’s not fSe only one that 's got more than 
enough impoodidence,” said Disco, pushing a fine 
straw down the stem of his “cutty,” to make it 
draw better. “ I say, Tony” (our regardless seaman 
had already thus mutilated his name), “ you seem 
to have plenty live stock in them parts.” 

“Plenty vat?” inquired the interpreter, with a 
perplexed expression. 

“ Why, plenty birds and beasts, — live stock we 
calls it, meanin' thereby livin’ creeturs.” He pointed 
towards an opening in the mangroves, through which 
were visible the neighbouring mud and sand flats, 
swarming with wild-fowl, and conspicuous among 
which were large flocks of pelicans, who seemed to 
be gorging themselves comfortably from an ap- 
parently inexhaustible supply of fish in the pools 
left by the receding tide. 


94 


BLACK IVORY. 


“Ho, yis, me perceive; yis, plenty bird and 
beast— fishes too, and crawbs — look dare ” 

He pointed to a part of the sands nearest to their 
encampment, which appeared to be alive with some 
small creatures. 

“ That ’s coorious,” said Disco, removing his pipe, 
and regarding the phenomenon with some interest. 

“ Ho, Taint koorous, it ’s crawbs,” replied Antonio. 

“ Crabs, is it?” said Disco, rising and sauntering 
down to the sands ; for he possessed an inquiring 
mind, with a special tendency to investigate the 
habits (pranks, as he called them) of the lower 
animals, which, in other circumstances, might have 
made him a naturalist. 

Muttering to himself — he was fond of muttering 
to himself, it felt companionable, — “ coorious, very 
coorious, quite ’stroanary,” he crept stealthily to the 
edge of the mangroves, and there discovered that the 
sands were literally alive with myriads of minute 
crabs, which were actively engaged — it was supposed 
by those who ought to know best-^-in gathering 
their food. The moment the tide ebbed from any 
part of the sands, out came these crablets in swarms, 
and set to work, busy as bees, ploughing up the 
sand, and sifting it, apparently for food, until the 
whole flat was rendered rough by their incessant 
labours. Approaching cautiously, Disco observed 
that each crab, as he went along sidewise, gathered 


BLACK IVOKY. 


95 


a round bit of moist sand at bis mouth, which was 
quickly brushed away by one of his claws, and 
replaced by another, and another, as fast as they 
could be brushed aside. 

“ Eatin’ sand they are !” muttered Disco in sur- 
prise ; but presently the improbability of sand being 
very nutritious food, even for crabs, forced itself on 
him, and he muttered his conviction that they “ was 
scrapin’ for wittles.” 

Having watched the crabs a considerable time, 
and observed that they frequently interrupted their 
labours to dart suddenly into their holes and out 
again — for the purpose, he conjectured, of “ havin’ 
a drop o’ summat to wet their whistles,” — Disco 
thrust the cutty into his vest pocket, and walked a 
little further out on the flat, in the hope of discover- 
ing some new objects of interest. Nor was he disap- 
pointed. Besides finding that the pools left by the 
tide swarmed with varieties of little fish — many of 
them being “ coorious,” — he was fortunate enough 
to witness a most surprising combat. 

It happened thus :--vPerceiving, a little to his 
right, some small creature hopping about on the sand 
near to a little pool, he turned aside to observe it 
more closely. On his drawing near, the creature 
jumped into the pool. Disco advanced to the edge, 
gazed intently into the water, and saw nothing ex- 
cept his own reflected image at the bottom/ Pre- 


96 


BLACK IVORY. 


sently the creature reappeared. It was a small fish 
— a familiar fish, too — which he had known in the 
pools of his native land by the name of blenny. As 
the blenny appeared to wish to approach the edge 
of the pool, Disco retired, and, placing a hand on 
each knee, stooped, in order to make himself as 
small as possible. He failed, the diminution in his 
height being fully counterbalanced by the latitudinal 
extension of his elbows ! 

Presently the blenny put its head out of the 
water, and looked about. We speak advisedly. The 
blenny is altogether a singular, an- exceptional fish. 
It can, and does, look sidewise, upwards and down- 
wards, with its protruding eyes, as knowingly, and 
with as much vivacity, as if it were a human being. 
This power in a fish has something of the same 
awesome effect on an observer that might possibly 
result were a horse to raise its head and smile at 
him. 

Seeing that the coast was clear, for Disco stood 
as motionless as a mangrove tree, blenny hopped 
upon the dry land. The African blenny is a sort of 
amphibious animal, living nearly as much out of the 
water as in it. Indeed its busiest time, we are told , 1 
is at low water, when, by means of its pectoral fins 
it crawls out on the sand and raises itself into some- 
thing of. a standing attitude, with its bright eyes 

1 See Dr. Livingstone’s Zambesi avd- its Tributaries , p. 343. 





A BLENNY-FIGHT.— Page 96 







BLACK IVORY. 


97 


keeping a sharp look-out for the light-coloured flies 
on which it feeds. 

For several seconds Disco gazed at the fish, and 
the fish gazed around, even turning its head a little, 
as well as its -eyes, on this- side and on. that. Pre- 
sently a small fly, with that giddy heedlessness which 
characterizes the race, alighted about two inches in 
front of blenny’s nose. Instantly the fish leaped 
that vast space, alighted with its underset mouth 
just over the fly, which immediately ^rose into it 
and was entombed. 

“ Bray vo !” passed through Disco’s brain, but no 
sound issued from his lips. 

Presently another of the. giddy ones alighted in 
front of blenny about a foot distant. This appeared 
to be much beyond his leaping powers, for, with a 
slow, stealthy motion, like a cat, he began deliberately 
to stalk his victim. The victim^ appeared to be blind, 
for it took no- notice of the approaching- monster. 
Blenny displayed marvellous powers of self-control, 
for he moved on steadily without accelerating his 
speed until within about two inches of his prey — 
then he leapt as before, and another, fly was en- 
tombed. 

“ Well done !” exclaimed Disco, mentally, but 
still his lips and body were motionless as before. 

At this point an--enemy, in the shape of another 
blenny^appeared on the scene. It came up out of a 


98 


BLACK IVORS’. 


small pool close at hand, and seemed to covet the 
first blenny’s pool, and to set about taking possession 
of it as naturally as if it had been a human being ; 
for, observing, no doubt, that its neighbour was busily 
engaged, it moved quietly in the direction of the 
coveted pooL Being a very little fish, it was not 
observed by Disco, but it was instantly noticed by 
the first blenny, which, being rather the smaller of 
the two, we shall style the Little one. 

Suddenly Big Blenny threw off all disguise, bound- 
ed towards the pool, which was about a foot square, 
and plunged in. No mortal blenny could witness this 
unwarrantable invasion of its hearth and home with- 
out being stirred to indignant wrath. With eyes that 
seemed to flash fire, and dorsal fin bristling up with 
rage, Little Blenny made five tremendous leaps of 
full three inches each, and disappeared. Another 
moment and a miniature storm ruffled the pool ; for 
a few seconds the heavings of the deep were awful ; 
then, out jumped Big Blenny and tried to flee, but 
out jumped Little Blenny and caught him by the 
tail ; round turned the big one and caught the other 
by the jaw. 

“Hallo, Disco! breakfast’s ready — where are 
you?” shouted Harold from the woods. 

Disco replied not. It is a question whether he 
heard the hail at all, so engrossed was he in this 
remarkable fight. 


BLACK IVORY. 


99 


“ Bray vo ! ” he exclaimed aloud, when Little Blenny 
shook his big enemy off and rolled over him. 

“ Cleverly done !” he shouted, when Big Blenny 
with a dart took refuge in the pooL 

“ I knowed it,” he cried approvingly, when Little 
Blenny forced him a second time to evacuate the 
premises, “ Go in an* win, little ’un,” thought Disco. 

Thus the battle raged furiously, now in the water, 
now on the sand, while the excited seaman danced 
round the combatants — both of whom appeared to 
have become deaf and blind with rage — and gave 
them strong encouragement, mingled with appro- 
priate advice and applause. In fact Disco’s delight 
would have been perfect had the size of the belli- 
gerents admitted of his patting the little blenny 
on the back ; but this of course was out of the 
question ! 

At last, having struck, worried, bitten, and chased 
each other by land and sea for several minutes, these 
pugnacious creatures seized each other by their re- 
spective throats, like two bull-dogs, and fell ex- 
hausted on the sand. 

“It’s a draw!” exclaimed Disco, rather disap- 
pointed. 

“ No, ’tain’t,” he said, as Little Blenny, reviving, 
rose up and renewed the combat more furiously than 
ever ; but it was soon ended, for Big Blenny sud- 
denly turned and fled to his own pool Little Blenny 


100 


BLACK IVORY. 


did not crow ; he did not even appear to be elated 
He evidently felt that he had been called on to per- 
form a disagreeable but unavoidable duty, and deemed 
it quite unnecessary to wave banners, fire guns, or 
ring bells in celebration of his victory, as he dived 
back into his pool amid the ringing cheers of Disco 
Lillihammer. 

“ Upon my word, if you have not gone stark mad, 
you must have had a sun- stroke,” said Harold, 
coming forward, “what’s the matter?” 

“ Too late ! too late !” cried Disco, in a mingled 
tone of amusement and regret. 

“ D'ye think it is ? Are you incurable already V* 
asked his friend. 

“ Too late to see the most a-stonishin’ scrimmage 
I ever did behold in my life,” said Disco. 

The description of this scrimmage gave the worthy 
seaman a subject for conversation and food for medi- 
tation during the greater part of the time spent over 
the morning meal, and there is no saying how long 
he would have kept referring to and chuckling over 
it — to the great admiration and sympathy of the 
black fellows, who are, as a race, excessively fond 
of jocularity and fun — had not another of the 
denizens of the mangrove jungle diverted his atten- 
tion and thoughts rather suddenly. 

This was a small monkey, which, seated on a 
branch overhead, peered at the breakfast-party from 


BLACK IVORY. 


101 


among the leaves, with an expression of inquiry and 
of boundless astonishment that it is quite impossible 
to describe. Surprise of the most sprightly nature, if 
we may say so, sat enthroned on that small monkey's 
countenance, an expression which was enhanced by 
the creature’s motions, for, not satisfied with taking 
a steady look at the intruders from the right side of 
a leaf, it thrust forward its little black head on the 
left side of it, and then under it, by way of variety ; 
but no additional light seemed to result from these 
changes in the point of observation, for the surprise 
did not diminish. 

In one of its intent stares it caught the eye of 
Disco. The seaman’s jaws stopped, as if suddenly 
locked, and his eyes opened to their widest. 

The monkey seemed to feel uneasily that it had 
attracted attention, for it showed the smallest 
possible glimpse of its teeth. The action, coupled 
with the leafy shadows which fell on its countenance, 
had the effect of a smile, which caused Disco to 
hurst into a loud laugh and point upwards. To 
bound from its position to a safer retreat, and thence 
stare at Disco with deep indignation, and a threaten- 
ing display of all its teeth and gums, in addition to 
its looks of surprise, was the work of a moment on 
the part of the small monkey, whereat Disco burst 
into a renewed roar of laughter, in which he was 
joined by the whole party. 


102 


BLACK IVORY. 


“ Are there many o’ them fellows hereabouts ?" 
inquired the seaman of Antonio. 

"Ho, yis, lots ob ’em. T’ousands ebery whars; 
see, dare am raorer.” 

He pointed to another part of the umbrageous 
canopy overhead, where the face of a still smaller 
monkey was visible, engaged, like the previous one, 
in an earnest scrutiny of the party, but with a 
melancholy, rather than a surprised, expression of 
visage. 

“Wot a miserable, broken-hearted thing!” said 
Disco, grinning, in which act he was immediately 
copied by the melancholy monkey, though from 
different motives. 

Disco was very fond of monkeys. All his life he 
had felt a desire to pat and fondle those shivering 
creatures which he had been accustomed to see on 
barrel-organs in his native land, and the same strong 
impulse came over him now. 

“ Wot a pity the creeturs smell so bad, and ain’t 
cleanly,” he remarked, gazing affectionately up 
among the leaves, " they ’d make such capital pets ; 
why, there ’s another.” 

This remark had reference to a third monkey, of 
large dimensions and fierce countenance, which at 
that moment rudely thrust the melancholy monkey 
aside and took its place. The latter, with a humble 
air and action, took up a new position, somewhat 


BLACK IVORY. 


103 


nearer to the fire, where its sad countenance was 
more distinctly seen. 

“Well, it does seem a particularly sorrowful 
monkey that,” said Harold, laughing, as he helped 
himself to another canful of tea. 

“ The most miserable objic’ I ever did see,” ob- 
served Disco. 

The negroes looked at each other and laughed. 
They were accustomed to monkeys, and took little 
notice of them, but they were mightily tickled by 
Disoo’s amusement, for he had laid down his knife 
and fork, and shook a good deal with internal 
chuckling, as he gazed upwards. 

“ One would suppose, now,” he said softly, “ that 
it had recently seen its father and mother, and all 
its brothers and sisters, removed by a violent death, 
or sold into slavery.” 

“ Ha ! they never see that,” said Harold ; “ the 
brutes may fight and kill, but they #never enslave 
each other. It is the proud prerogative of man to 
do, that.” 

“That’s true, sir, worse luck, as Paddy says,” 
rejoined Disco. “But look there: wot’s them 
coorious things round the creetur’s waist — a pair 
o’ the werry smallest hands — and, hallo ! a face no 
bigger than a button ! I do believe that it’s — ” 

Disco did not finish the sentence, but he was right. 
The small melancholy monkey was a mother ! 


104 


BLACK IVORY. 


Probably that was the cause of its sorrow. It is 
a touching thought that anxiety for its tiny offspring 
perhaps had furrowed that monkey's visage with the 
wrinkles of premature old age. That danger threat- 
ened it on every side was obvious, for no sooner had 
it taken up its new position, after its unceremonious 
ejection by the fierce monkey, than the sprightly 
monkey before referred to conceived a plot which 
it immediatelv proceeded to carry into execution. 
Observing that the tail of the sad one hung down in 
a clear space below the branch on which it sat, the 
sprightly fellow quickly, but with intense caution 
and silence, crept towards it, and when within a 
yard or so sprang into the air and caught the tail ! 

A wild shriek, and what Disco styled a “ scrim- 
mage,” ensued, during which the mother monkey gave 
chase to him of the lively visage, using her arms, 
legs, and tail promiscuously to grasp and hold on to 
branches, and^eaving her extremely little one to 
look out for itself. This it seemed quite capable of 
doing, for no limpet ever stuck to a solid rock with 
greater tenacity than did that infant to the maternal 
waist throughout the chase. The hubbub appeared 
to startle the whole monkey race, revealing the fact 
that troops of other monkeys had, unobserved, been 
gazing at the strangers in silent wonder, since the 
time of their landing. 

Pleasant, however, though this state of things 


BLACK IVORY. 


105 


undeniably was, it could not be expected to last. 
Breakfast being concluded, it became necessary that 
Disco should tear himself from the spot, which, 
having first solaced himself with a pipe, he did with 
a good grace, remarking, as he re-embarked and 
“ took the helm ” of his canoe, that he had got more 
powerful surprises that morning than he had ever 
before experienced in any previous twelvemonth of 
his life. 

4 

Before long he received many more surprises, 
especially one of a very different and much less 
pleasant nature, an account of winch will be found 
in the next chapter. 


106 


BLACK IVORY. 


CHAPTER VI. 

DESCRIBES SEVERAL NEW AND SURPRISING INCIDENTS, WHICH MUST BE 
READ TO BE FULLY APPRECIATED. 

To travel with one’s mouth and eyes opened to 
nearly their utmost width in a state of surprised 
stupefaction, may be unavoidable, but it cannot be 
said to be either becoming or convenient. Atten- 
tion in such a case is apt to be diverted from the 
business in hand, and flies have a tendency to im- 
molate themselves in the throat. 

Nevertheless, inconvenient though the condition 
was, our friend Disco Lillihammer was so afllicted 
with astonishment at what he heard and saw in this 
new land, that he was constantly engaged m swal- 
lowing flies and running his canoe among shallows 
and - rushes, insomuch that he at last . resigned the 
steering-oar until familiarity with present circum- 
stances should tone him down to a safe condition 
of equanimity. 

And no wonder that Disco was surprised; no 
wonder that his friend Harold Seadrift shared in 
his astonishment and delight, for they were at once, 


BLACK IVORY. 


107 


and for the first time in their lives, plunged into 
the very heart of jungle. life in equatorial Africa! 
Those who have never wandered far from the com- 
paratively tame regions of our temperate zone, can 
form but a faint conception of what it is to ramble in 
the tropics, and therefore can scarcely be expected 
to sympathize fully with the mental condition of 
our heroes as they ascended the Zambesi Every- 
thing was so thoroughly strange ; sights and sounds 
so vastly different from what they had been accus- 
tomed to see and hear, that it seemed as though 
they had landed on another planet. Trees, shrubs, 
flowers, birds, beasts, insects, and reptiles, all were 
unfamiliar, except, indeed, one or two of the more 
conspicuous trees and animals, which had been so 
imprinted on their minds by means of nursery 
picture-books that, on first beholding them, Disco 
unconsciously paid these books the compliment of 
saying that the animals “ wos uncommon* like the 
picture” 

Disco's mental condition may be said, for the 
first two or three days, to have been one of gentle 
ever-flowing surprise, studded thickly with little 
bursts of keen astonishment. 

The first part of the river ran between mangrove 
jungle, in regard to which he remarked that “ them 
there trees had legs like crabs,” in which observation 
he was not far wrong, for, when the tide was out, 




108 BLACK IVORY. 

the roots of the mangroves rose high out of the 
mud, forming supports, as it were, for the trees to 
stand on. 

But it was the luxuriance of the vegetation that 
made the most powerful impression on the travellers. 
It seemed as if the various groups and families of 
the vegetable kingdom had been warmed by the sun 
into a state of unwonted affection, for everything 
appeared to entertain the desire to twine round and 
embrace everything else. One magnificent screw- 
palm in particular was so overwhelmed by affectionate 
parasites that his natural shape was almost entirely 
concealed. Others of the trees were decked with 
orchilla weed. There were ferns so gigantic as to 
be almost worthy of being styled trees, and palm- 
bushes so sprawling as to suggest the idea of huge 
vegetable spiders. Bright yellow fruit gleamed 
among the graceful green leaves of the mangroves ; 
wild date-palms gave variety to the scene, if that 
had been needed, which it was not, and masses of 
umbrageous plants with large yellow flowers grew 
along the banks, while, down among the underwood, 
giant roots rose in fantastic convolutions above 
ground, as if the earth were already too full, and 
there wasn’t room for the whole of them. There 
was an antediluvian magnificence, a prehistoric 
snakiness, a sort of primeval running-to-seedness, 
which filled Harold and Disco with feelings of awe, 


BLACK IVORY. 


109 


and induced a strange, almost unnatural tendency to 
regard Adam and Eve as their contemporaries. 

Animal life was not wanting in this paradise. 
Frequently did our seaman give vent to “ Hallo ! ” 

“ There they go ! ” “ Look out for the little wi v 

the long tail ! ” and similar, expressions, referring of 
course to his favourite monkeys, which ever and 
anon peered out upon the strangers with looks of 
intensity, for whatever their expression might he — 
sadness, grief, interrogation, wrath, surprise — it was 
always in the superlative degree. There were birds 
also, innumerable. One, styled the “ king-hunter,” 
sang wild exultant airs, as if it found king-hunting 
to be an extremely exhilarating occupation, though 
what sort of kings it hunted we cannot tell. Per- 
haps it was the king of beasts, perhaps the king- 
fisher, a bright specimen of which was frequently 
^een to dart out from the banks, but we profess 
ignorance on this point. There were fish-hawks also, 
magnificent fellows, which sat in regal dignity on 
the tops of the mangrove trees, and the glossy ibis, 
with others of the feathered tribe too numerous to 
mention. 

Large animals also were there in abundance, 
though not so frequently seen as those which have 
been already mentioned. Disco occasionally made 
known the fact that such, or something unusual, 
had transpired, by the sudden and violent exclama- 


110 


BLACK IVORY. 


tion of “ What’s that ? ” in a voice so loud that “ that,” 
whatever it might be, sometimes bolted or took to 
flight before any one else caught sight of it. 

“ Hallo ! ” he exclaimed, on one such occasion, as 
the canoes turned a bend of the river. 

* What now ? ” demanded Harold, looking at his 
companion to observe the direction of his eyes. 

“ I ’m a Dutchman,” exclaimed Disco in a hoarse 
whisper that might have been heard half a mile off, 
“ if it ’s not a zebra ! ” 

“ So it is ; my rifle — look sharp !” said Harold 
eagerly. 

The weapon was handed to him, but before it 
could be brought to bear, the beautiful striped crea- 
ture had tossed its head, snorted, whisked its tail, 
kicked up its heels, and dashed into the jungle. 

“ Give way, lads ; let ’s after him,” shouted Disco, 
turning the canoe’s bow to shore. 

“ Hold on,” cried Harold ; “ you might as well gc 
after a needle in a haystack or a locomotive.” 

“ So I might,” admitted Disco, with a mortified 
air, resuming his course ; “ but it ain’t in reason to 
expect a feller to keep quiet w’en he sees one o’ the 
very picturs of his child’ood, so to speak, come alive 
an’ kick up its heels like that.” 

Buffaloes were also seen in the grassy glades, but 
it proved difficult to come within range of them ; 
also wart-hogs, and three different kinds of antelope. 


BLACK IVORY. 


Ill 


Of these last Harold shot several, and they were 
found to be excellent food. 

Human beings were also observed, but those first 
encountered fled at the sight of the white men as if 
they had met with their worst foes ; and such was 
in very truth the case, — if we may regard the Portu- 
guese half-castes of that coast as white men, — for 
these negroes were runaway slaves, who stood the 
chance of being shot or drowned, or whipped to 
death if re- captured. 

Other animals they saw — some queer, some terri- 
ble, nearly all strange — and last, though not least, 
the hippopotamus. 

When Disco first saw this ungainly monster he 
was bereft of speech for- some minutes. The usual 
“ Hallo !” stuck in his throat and well-nigh choked 
him. He could only gasp, and point. 

“ Ay, there goes a hippopotamus,” said Harold, 
with the easy nonchalance of a man who had been 
to the Zoological Gardens, and knew all about it. 
Nevertheless it was quite plain that Harold was 
much excited, for he almost dropped his oar over- 
board in making a hasty grasp at his rifle. Before 
he could fire, the creature gaped wide, as if in 
laughter, and dived. 

“ Unfortunate !” said Harold, in a philosophically 
careless tone ; “ never mind, we shall see lots more 
of them.” 


112 


BLACK IVORY. 


“ Ugliness embodied !” said Disco, heaving a deep 
sigh. 

“But him’s goot for eat,” said Antonio, smacking 
his lips. 

“Is he?” demanded Disco of Jumbo, whose en- 
joyment of the sailor’s expressive looks was so great, 
that whenever the latter opened his lips the former 
looked back over his shoulder with a broad grin of 
expectation. 

“ Ho yis ; de hiputmus am fust-rate grub for dis 
yer boy,” replied the negro, rolling his red tongue 
inside his mouth suggestively. 

“ He never eats man, does he ?” inquired Disco. 

“ Nevair,” replied Antonio. 

“ He looks as if he might,” returned the seaman ; 
“ anyhow, he ’s got a mouth big enough to do it. 
You’re quite sure he don’t, I ’spos^ ?” 

“ Kite sure an’ sartin ; but me hab seen him tak 
mans,” said Antonio. 

“ Tak mans, wot d’ee mean by that?” 

“ Tak him,” repeated Antonio. “ Go at him’s 
canoe or boat — bump with him’s head — dash in de 
timbers — capsize, so ’s man hab to swim shore — all 
as got clear ob de crokidils.”: 

While Disco was meditating on this unpleasant 
trait of character in the hippopotamus, the specimen 
which they had just seen, or some other member ot 
his family, having compassion no doubt on the sea- 


BLACK IVORY. 


113 


man’s ignorance, proceeded to illustrate its- method 
of attack then and there by rising suddenly under 
the canoe with such force, that its head and shoulders 
shot high out of the water, into which it fell with a 
heavy splash. Harold’s rifle being ready, he fired 
just as it was disappearing. 

Whether he hit or not is uncertain, but next 
moment the enraged animal rose again under Disco’s 
canoe, which it nearly lifted out of the water in its 
efforts to seize it in its mouth. Fortunately the 
canoe was too flat for its jaws to grip ; the monster’s 
blunt teeth were felt, as well as heard, to grind 
across the planks ; and Disco being in the stern, 
which was raised highest, was almost thrown over- 
board by the jerk. 

Kising about two . yards off, the. hippopotamus 
looked savagely at the canoe, and was about to 
dive again when Harold gave it a second shot. 
The large gun being fortunately ready, had been 
handed to him by one of the Makololo men. The 
heavy ball took effect behind the eye, and killed the 
animal almost instantaneously. The hippopotamus 
usually sinks when shot dead, but in this case they 
were so near that, before it had time to sink, Zombo, 
assisted by his friend Jumbo, made a line fast to it, 
and it was finally dragged to the shore. The land- 
ing, however, was much retarded by the crocodiles, 
which now showed themselves for the first time, 
H 


114 


BLACK IVORY. 


and kept tugging and worrying tlie carcase much aa 
a puppy tugs and worries a ladies’ muff, afford- 
ing Disco and his friend strong reason to congra- 
tulate themselves that the canoe had not been 
overturned. 

The afternoon was pretty well advanced when the 
landing was accomplished on a small sandy island, 
and as the spot was suitable for encamping, they 
determined to remain there for the night, and feast. 

There are many points of resemblance between 
savage and civilized festivities. Whether the per- 
formers be the black sons of Africa, or the white 
fathers of Europe, there is the same powerful tend- 
ency to eat too much, and the same display of good- 
fellowship ; for it is an indisputable fact that feed- 
ing man is amiable, unless, indeed, he be dyspeptic. 
There are also, however, various points of difference. 
The savage, owing to the amount of fresh air and 
exercise which he is compelled to take, usually eats 
with greater appetite, and knows nothing of equine 
dreams or sleepless nights. On the whole, we in- 
cline to the belief that, despite his lack of refinement 
and ceremony, the savage has the best of it in this 
matter. 

Disco Lillihammer’s visage, during the progress 
of that feast, formed a study worthy of a physiog- 
nomist. Every new achievement, whether trifling or 
important, performed by the Makololo triad, Jumbo, 


BLACK IVOKY. 


115 


Zombo,and Masiko — every fresh hippopotamus steak 
skewered and .set up to roast by the half-caste 
brothers Jose and Oliveira — every lick bestowed on 
their greasy fingers by the Somali negroes Nakoda 
and Conda, and every sigh of intense satisfaction 
heaved by the so-called “ freemen ” of Quillimane, 
Songolo and Mabruki, was watched, commented on, 
and, if we may say so, reflected in the animated 
countenance of the stout seaman with such variety 
of expression, and such an interesting compound of 
grin and wrinkle, that poor Jumbo, who gazed at 
him over hippopotamus ribs and steaks, and tried 
hard not to laugh, was at last compelled to turn 
away his eyes, in order that his mouth might have 
fair play. 

But wonderful, sumptuous, and every way satis- 
factory though that feast was, it bore no comparison 
whatever to another feast carried on at the same 
time by another party, about fifty yards off, where the 
carcase of the hippopotamus had been left half in 
and half out of the water — for, of course, being fully 
more than a ton in weight, only a small portion of 
the creature was appropriated by the canoe-men. 
The negroes paid no attention whatever to this other 
festive party ; but in a short time Disco turned his 
head to one side, and said — 

“ W’y, wot ’s that splashin I hears goin’ on ovef" 
there ?” 


116 


BLACK IVORY. 


“I suspect it must be some beast or other that 
has got hold of the carcase,” replied Harold, who 
was himself busy with a portion of the same. 

“ Yis, dat am krokidils got ’im,” said Antonio, 
with his mouth full — very fulL 

“ You don’t say so ?” said Disco, washing down the 
steak with a brimming cup of tea. 

No one appeared to think it worth while to asseve- 
rate the fact, for it was self-evident. Several crocodiles 
were supping, and in doing so they tore away at the 
carcase with such violence, and lashed the water so 
frequently with their powerful tails, as to render it 
clear that their feast necessitated laborious effort, 
and seemed less a recreation than a duty. More- 
over, they sat at their meal, like insatiable gour- 
mands, so long into the night that supper became 
transmuted into breakfast, and Harold’s rest was 
greatly disturbed thereby. He was too sleepy and 
lazy, however, to rise and drive them away. 

Next morning the travellers started early, being 
anxious to pass, as quietly as possible, a small Por- 
tuguese town, near to which it was said a party of 
runaway slaves and rebels against the Government 
were engaged in making depredations. 

When grey dawn was beginning to rise above the 
tree-tops, they left their encampment in profound 
silence, and rowed up stream as swiftly as pos- 
sible. They had not advanced far, when, on turning 


BLACK IVORY. 


117 


a point covered with tall reeds, Zombo, who was 
bowman in the leading canoe, suddenly made a sign 
to the men to cease rowing. 

“ What ’s the matter ?” whispered Harold. 

The negro pointed through the reeds, and whis- 
pered the single word “ Canoe.” 

By this time the other canoe had ranged up along- 
side, and after a brief consultation between Harold 
and Disco, it was decided that they, should push 
gently into the reeds, and wait till the strange canoe 
should pass ; but a few seconds sufficed to show that 
the two men who paddled it did not intend to pass 
down the river, for they pushed straight out towards 
the deepest part of the stream. They were, however, 
carried down so swiftly by the current that they 
were brought quite near to the point of rushes where 
our travellers lay concealed — so near that their 
voices could be distinctly heard. They talked in 
Portuguese. 

Antonio muttered a few words, and Harold ob- 
served that there was a good deal of excitement in 
the looks of his men. 

“ What ’s the matter ? ” he asked anxiously. 

Antonio shook his head. “ Dat nigger goin’ 
to be drownded,” he said ; “ bad nigger— obstro - 
polous nigger, suppose.” 

“ Wot ! ” exclaimed Disco in a whisper, “ goin’ to 
be drownded ! wot d’ee mean ? ” 


118 


BLACK IVORY. 


Antonio proceeded to explain that it was a custom 
amongst the Portuguese slave-owners there, when 
they found any of their slaves intractable or refrac- 
tory, to hire some individuals who, for a small sum, 
would hind and carry off the incorrigible for the 
purpose of making away with him. One method of 
effecting this was to tie him in a sack and throw 
him into the river, the crocodiles making quite sure 
that the unfortunate being should never again be 
seen, either alive or dead. But before Antonio had 
finished his brief explanation he was interrupted by 
an exclamation from the horrified Englishmen, as 
they beheld the two men in the canoe raise some- 
thing between them which for a moment appeared 
to struggle violently. 

“ Shove off ! give way ! ” shouted Harold and 
Disco in the same breath, each thrusting with his 
paddle so vigorously that the two canoes shot out 
like arrows into the stream. 

At the same instant there was a heavy plunge in 
the water beside the strange canoe, and the victim 
sank. Next moment one end of the sack rose to 
the surface. Both Harold and Disco made straight 
towards it, but it sank again, and the two murderers 
paddled to the shore, on which they drew up their 
canoe, intending to take to the hush, if necessary, 
for safety. 

Once again the sack rose not more than three 


BLACK IVORY. 


119 


yards from Disco’s canoe. The bold seaman knew 
that if it disappeared a third time there would he 
little chance of its rising again. He was prompt in 
action, and daring to recklessness. In one moment 
he had leaped overboard, dived, caught the sack in 
his powerful grasp, and bore it to the surface. The 
canoe had been . steered for him. The instant he 
appeared, strong and ready hands laid hold of him 
and his burden, and dragged them both inboard. 

“ Cut the lashin’s and give him air,” cried Disco, 
endeavouring to find his clasp-knife ; but one of the 
men quickly obeyed the order, and opened the sack. 

A groan of horror and pity burst from the seaman 
when he beheld the almost insensible form of a 
powerful negro, whose back was lacerated with 
innumerable ragged cuts, and covered with clotted 
blood. 

“ Where are the — ” 

He stopped short on looking round, and, observ- 
ing that the two men were standing on the shore, 
seized a double-barrelled gun. The stream had 
carried the canoe a considerable distance below the 
spot where the murder had been attempted, but they 
were still within range. Without a moment’s hesi- 
tation Disco took deliberate aim at them and fired. 

Fortunately for him and his party Disco was a 
bad shot — nevertheless the bullet struck so close 
to the feet of the two men that it drove the sand 


120 


BLACK IVORY. 


and pebbles into their faces. They turned at once 
and fled, but before they reached the cover of the 
bushes the second barrel was fired, and the bullet 
whistled close enough over their heads greatly to 
accelerate their flight. 

The negroes opened their great round eyes, and 
appeared awe-struck at this prompt display of a 
thirst for vengeance on the part of one who had 
hitherto shown no other disposition than hilarity, 
fun, and good-humour. 

Harold was greatly relieved to observe Disco’s 
failure, for if he had hit either of the fugitives the 
consequences might have been very disastrous to 
their expedition. 

On being partially revived and questioned, it 
turned out that the poor fellow had been whipped 
almost to death for refusing to be the executioner 
in whipping his own mother. This was a refinement 
in cruelty on the part of these professedly Christian 
Portuguese, which our travellers afterwards learned 
was by no means uncommon. 

We are told by those who know that region well, 
and whose veracity is unquestionable, that the Por- 
tuguese on the east coast of Africa live in constant 
dread of their slaves rising against them. . Ho 
wonder, considering the fiendish cruelties to which 
they subject them ! In order to keep them in sub- 
jection they underfeed them, and if any of them 


BLACK IVORY. 


121 


venture to steal cocoa-nuts from the trees the owners 
thereof are at liberty to shoot them and throw them 
into the sea. Slaves being cheap there, and plenti- 
ful, are easily replaced, he$ce a cruel owner never 
hesitates. If a slave is refractory, and flogging only 
makes him worse, his master bids the overseer flog 
him until “ he will require no more.” Still further 
to keep them in subjection, the Portuguese then 
endeavour to eradicate from them all sympathy with 
each other, and all natural affection, by the following 
means. If a woman requires to be flogged, her 
brother or son is selected to do it. Fathers are 
made to flog their daughters, husbands their wives, 
and if two young negroes of different sexes are 
observed to show any symptoms of growing attach- 
ment for each other, these two are chosen for each 
other’s executioners . 1 

The poor wretch whom we have just described as 
having been saved from death, to which he had 
been doomed for refusing to become the executioner 
of his own mother, was placed as tenderly and com- 
fortably as circumstances would admit of in the 
bottom of the canoe, and then our travellers pushed 
on with all haste — anxious to pass the town before 
the two fugitives could give the alarm. 

They were successful in this, probably because 

1 See Travels in Eastern Africa , by Lyons M'Leod, Esq., F.R.G.S., 
and late Her Britannic Majesty's Consul at Mozambique, vol. i. pp. 
274-2/7, and vol. ii. p. 27- 


122 


BLACK IVORY. 


the two men may have hid themselves for some 
time in the jungle, under the impression that the 
exasperated Englishmen might he searching for them 
on shore. 

Giving themselves time only to take a hurried 
meal in the middle of the day, our travellers rowed 
continuously till sunset, when, deeming it probable 
that pursuit, if undertaken at all, must have been 
abandoned, they put ashore on the right bank of 
the river and encamped. 

When the sufferer had been made as comfortable 
as circumstances would allow — for he was much 
weakened by loss of blood as well as agonized with 
pain — and after he had been refreshed with food and 
some warm tea, Harold questioned him, through the 
interpreter, as to his previous history. 

At first the man was brusque in his manner, and 
inclined to be sulky, for a long course of cruelty had 
filled him with an intense hatred of white men. 
Indeed, an embittered and desperate spirit had begun 
to induce callous indifference to all men, whether 
white or black. But kind treatment, to which he 
was evidently unaccustomed, and generous diet, 
which was obviously new to him, had a softening 
influence, and when Harold poured a small glass 
of rum into his tea, and Antonio added a lump of 
sugar, and Disco pressed him tenderly to drink it 
off — which he did — the effect was very decided j 


BLACK IVORY. 


123 


the settled scowl on his face became unsettled, and 
gradually melting away, was replaced by a milder 
and more manly look. By degrees he became com- 
municative, and, bit by bit, his story was drawn 
from him. It was brief, but very sorrowful 

His name, he said, was Chimbolo. He belonged 
to a tribe which lived far inland, beyond the Man- 
ganja country, which latter was a country of hills. 
He was not a Manganja man, but he had married a 
Manganja woman. One night he, with his wife and 
mother, was paying a visit to the village of his wife’s 
relations, when a band of slave-hunters suddenly 
attacked the village. They were armed with guns, 
and at once began to murder the old people and 
capture the young. Resistance was useless. His 
relatives were armed only with bows and spears. 
Being taken by surprise, they all fled in terror, but 
were pursued and few escaped. His wife, he said — 
and a scowl of terrible ferocity crossed Chimbolo’s 
face as he said it — was about to become a mother at 
the time. He seized her in his arms on the first 
alarm, and fled with her into the bush, where he 
concealed her, and then hurried back to aid his 
relations, but met them — old and young, strong and 
feeble — flying for their lives. It was not possible to 
rally them, he therefore joined in the flight. While 
running, a bullet grazed his head and stunned him. 
Presently he recovered and rose, but in a few 


124 


BLACK IVORY. 


minutes was overtaken and captured. A slave- 
stick was put on his neck, and, along with a number 
of Manganja men, women, and children, he was 
driven down to the coast and sold, with a number of 
other men and women, among whom was his own 
mother, to a Portuguese merchant on the coast near 
the East Luavo mouth of the Zambesi. There he was 
found to be of a rebellious spirit, and at last, on posi- 
tively refusing to lash his mother, his master ordered 
him to be whipped to death, but, changing his mind 
before the order had been quite carried out, he 
ordered him to be bound hand and foot and taken 
away in a sack. As to his wife, he had never heard 
of her since that night, which was about two years 
past. He knew that she had not been found, because 
he had not seen her amongst the other captives. If 
they had found her they would have been sure to 
carry her off, because — here Chimbolo’s visage 
again grew diabolical — she was young, he said, and 
beautiful. 

When all this had been translated into bad 
English by Antonio, Harold asked if Chimbolo 
thought it probable that his wife was still alive in 
the Manganja highlands. To this the former said 
that he thought it likely. 

“ W’y, then,” said Disco, giving his right thigh a 
powerful slap, which was his favourite method of 
emphasizing a remark, “ wot d’ ye say, sir, to lay our 


BLACK IVORY. 


125 


course for these same highlands, and try for to find 
out this poor critter ?” 

“ Just what was running in my own mind, Disco,” 
said Harold, musing over his supper. “ It does not 
make much difference what part of this country we 
go to, being all new to us ; and as Antonio tells me 
the Manganja highlands are up the Shire river, which 
was explored by Dr. Livingstone not long ago, and 
is not distant many days’ journey from this, I think 
we can’t do better than go there. We shall have a 
good as well as a definite object in view.” 

“ Wery good, sir ; I ’m agreeable,” returned Disco, 
reaching forth his pewter plate; “ another hunk o’ 
that pbttimus, Jumbo ; it ’s better than salt- junk any 
day ; and I say, J umbo, don’t grin so much, else 
ye ’ll enlarge yer pretty little mouth, which ’ud be a 
pity.” 

“ Yis, saar,” replied Jumbo, becoming very grave 
all of a sudden, but on receiving a nod and an ex- 
pressive wink from the seaman, he exploded again, 
and rolled backward on the grass, in the performance 
of which act he capsized Zombo’s can of tea, where- 
upon Zombo leaped upon him in wrath, and Masiko, 
as in duty bound, came to the rescue. 

“Clap a stopper on yer noise, will ’ee?” cried 
Disco sternly, “ else you ’ll be bringin’ all the wild 
beasts in these parts down on us to see wot it ’s all 
about.” 


126 


BLACK IVORY. 


“ That reminds me/’ said Harold, when quiet was 
restored, “ that we must now organize ourselves into 
something of a fighting band — a company, as it 
were, of soldiers, — and take our regular spell of 
watching by night, for, from all that I hear of the 
disturbed state of the country just now, with these 
runaway slaves and rebels, it will be necessary to 
be on our guard. Of course,” he added, smiling, “ I 
suppose I must be captain of the company, and you, 
Disco, shall be lieutenant.” 

“ Hot at all,” replied the seaman, shaking his 
head, and frowning at Jumbo, whose brilliant teeth 
at once responded to the glance, “ not at all, none of 
your sodgerin’ for me. I never could abide the 
lobsters. Fust-mate, sir, that’s wot I am, if I’m 
to be expected to do my dooty.” 

“Well then, first-mate be it,” rejoined Harold, 
“and Antonio shall be serjeant-major — ” 

“ Bo’s’n — bo’s’n,” suggested Disco ; “ keep up 
appearances wotiver ye do, an’ don’t let the memory 
of salt-water go down.” 

“ Very good,” said Harold, laughing ; “ then you 
shall be boatswain, Antonio, as well as cook, and I 
will instruct you in the first part of your duty, which 
will be to keep watch for an hour while the rest of 
us sleep. My first-mate will teach you the 
whistling part of a boatswain’s duty, if that should 
be required — ” 


BLACK IVOHY. 


127 


“ Ah, and the roar/’ interrupted Disco, “ a bo’s’n 
would he nothin’ without his roar — ” 

At that moment the woods around them were 
filled with a tremendous and very unexpected roar, 
which caused the whole party to spring up, and 
induced the new bo’s’n to utter a yell of terror 
that would have done credit to the whistle of the 
most violent bo’s’n on the sea. Next moment the 
travellers were surrounded by a large and excited 
band of armed negroes. 


128 


BLACK IVORY. 


CHAPTER VII. 


ENEMIES ARE CHANGED INTO FRIENDS— OUR TRAVELLERS PENETRATE 
INTO THE INTERIOR OF THE LAND. 

To possess the power of looking perfectly calm 
and unconcerned when you are in reality consider- 
ably agitated and rather anxious, is extremely useful 
in any circumstances, but especially so when one 
happens to be in the midst of grinning, gesticulating, 
naked savages. 

Our hero, Harold Seadrift, possessed that power 
in an eminent degree, and his first-mate, Disco 
Lillihammer, was not a whit behind him. Although 
both had started abruptly to their legs at the first 
alarm, and drawn their respective revolvers, they no 
sooner found themselves surrounded by overwhelm- 
ing numbers than they lowered their weapons, and, 
turning back to back, faced the intruders with calm 
countenances. 

“ Sit down, men, every one of you except Antonio,” 
said Harold, in a quiet but clear and decided voice. 

His men, who, having left their guns in the canoe, 
were utterly helpless, quietly obeyed. 


BLACK IVORY. 


129 


“ Who are yon, and what do you want V* de- 
manded Antonio, by Harold's order. 

To this a tall negro, who was obviously the leader 
of the band, replied in the native tongue, — “ It 
matters little who we are ; you are in our power.” 

“ Not quite,” said Harold, slightly moving his 
revolver. “ Tell him that he may overcome us, but 
before he does so my friend and I carry the lives of 
twelve of his men in our pistols.” 

The negro chief, who quite understood the powers 
of a revolver, replied — 

“ Tell your master, that before he could fire two 
shots he and his friend would have each twelve 
bullets in his body. But I have not time to pa] aver 
here. — Who are you, and where are you going ?” 

“We are Englishmen, travelling to see the coun- 
try,” replied Harold. 

The chief looked doubtfully at him, and seemed 
to waver, then suddenly making up his mind, he 
frowned and said sternly — 

“ No ; that is a lie. You are Portuguese scoundrels. 
You shall all die. You have robbed us of our liberty, 
our wives, our children, our homes ; you have chained, 
and tortured, and flogged us !” — he gnashed his teeth 
at this point, and his followers grew excited. “ Now 
we have got free, and you are caught. We will let 
you know what it is to be slaves.” 

As the negro chief stirred up his wrath by thus 
1 


130 


BLACK IVORY. 


recounting his wrongs, and advanced a step, Harold 
begged Disco, in a low, urgent voice, not to raise his 
pistoL Then looking the savage full in the face, 
without showing a trace of anxiety, he said — 

“ You are wrong. We are indeed Englishmen, and 
you know that the English detest slavery, and would, 
if they could, put a stop to it altogether.” 

“ Yes, I know that,” said the chief. “We have 
seen one Englishman here, and he has made us to 
know that all men with white faces are not devils — 
like the Portuguese and Arabs. But how am I to 
know you are English ?” 

Again the chief wavered a little, as if half-inclined 
to believe Harold's statement. 

“ Here is proof for you,” said Harold, pointing to 
Chimbolo, who, being scarcely able to move, had 
remained all this time beside the fire leaning on his 
elbow and listening intently to the conversation. 

“ See,” he continued, “ that is a slave. Look at 
him.” 

As he said this, Harold stepped quickly forward 
and removed the blanket, with which he had covered 
his lacerated back after dressing it. 

A howl of execration burst from the band of 
negroes, who pointed their spears and guns at the 
travellers' breasts, and would have made a speedy v 
end of the whole party if Antonio had not exclaimed 
“ Speak, Chimbolo, speak !” 


BLACK IVORY. 


131 


The slave looked up with animation, and told 
bhe rebels how his Portuguese owner had ordered 
him to be flogged to death, but changed his mind 
and doomed him to be drowned, — how that, in the 
nick of time, these white men had rescued him, and 
had afterwards treated him with the greatest kind- 
ness. 

Chimbolo did not say much, but what he did say 
was uttered with emphasis and feeling. This was 
enough. Those who would have been enemies were 
suddenly converted into warm friends, and the des- 
peradoes, who would have torn their former masters, 
or any of their race, limb from limb, if they could 
have got hold of them, left our adventurers undis- 
turbed in their bivouac, after wishing them a pros- 
perous journey. 

It was nevertheless deemed advisable to keep 
watch during the night. This was done faithfully 
and conscientiously as far as it went. Harold took 
the first hour by way of example. He sat over the 
fire, alternately gazing into its embers while he 
meditated of home, and round upon the dark forest 
while he thought of Africa. True to time, he called 
Disco, who, equally true to his sense of duty, turned 
out at once with a deep “ Ay, ay, sir.” The self- 
styled first-mate placed his back against a tree, and, 
endeavouring to believe it to be a capstan, or binnacle, 
I or any other object appertaining to the sea, stared at 


132 


BLACK IVORY. 


the ghostly stems of the forest- trees until they began 
to dance hornpipes for his special gratification, or 
glowered at the shadows until they became instinct 
with life, and all but induced him to rouse the camp 
twenty times in the course of his hour’s vigil. True 
to time also, like his predecessor, Disco roused An- 
tonio and immediately turned in. 

The vivacious chef de cuisine started up at once, 
took up his position at the foot of the tree which 
Disco had just left, leaned his back against it apd 
straightway went to sleep, in which condition he 
remained till morning, leaving the camp in unpro- 
tected felicity and blissful ignorance. 

Fortunately for all parties, Disco awoke in time 
to catch him napping, and resolved to punish him. 
He crept stealthily round to the back of the tree 
against which the faithless man leaned, and reached 
gently round until his mouth was close to Antonio’s 
cheek, then, collecting all the air that his vast lungs 
were capable of containing, he poured into Antonio’s 
ear a cumulative roar that threw the camp and the 
denizens of the wilderness far and near into confu- 
sion, and almost drove the whole marrow in Antonio’s 
body out at his heels. The stricken man sprang up 
as if earth had shot him forth, uttered a yell of 
terror such as seldom greets the ear, and rushed 
blindly forward. Eepeating the roar, Disco plunged 
after him. Antonio tumbled over the fire, recovered 


BLACK IVORY. 


12 # 


himself, dashed on, and would certainly have plunged 
into the river, if not into the jaws of a crocodile, had 
not Jumbo caught him in his arms, in the midst of 
a chorus of laughter from the other men. 

“ How dare ’ee go to sleep on dooty V* demanded 
Disco, seizing the culprit by the collar, “ eh ! we 
might have bin all murdered by rebels or eaten by 
lions, or had our eyes picked out by gorillas, for all 
that you would have done to prevent it — eh ?” giving 
him a shake. 

“Oh, pardon, forgif. Nevair doot more again,” 
exclaimed the breathless and trembling Antonio. 

“You'd better not!” said Disco, giving him another 
shake and releasing him. 

Having done so, he turned on his heel and be- 
stowed a quiet look, in passing, on Jumbo, which of 
course threw that unfortunate man into convulsions. 

After this little incident a hasty breakfast was 
taken, the canoes were launched, and the voyage 
was continued. 

It is not necessary to trace the course of our 
explorers day by day as they ascended the Zambesi, 
or to recount all the adventures or misadventures 
that befell them on their j&urney into the interior. 
It is sufficient for the continuity of our- tale to say 
that many days after leaving the coast they turned 
into the Shire river, which flows into the Zambesi 
about 150 miles from the coast. 


134 


BLACK IVORY. 


There are many fountain-heads of slavery in 
Africa. The region of the interior, which gives birth 
to the head-waters of the Shire river, is one of the 
chief of these. Here lies the great lake Nyassa, 
which was discovered and partly explored by Dr. 
Livingstone, and hence flows a perennial stream of 
traffic to Kilwa, on the coast — which traffic, at the 
present time, consists almost exclusively of the 
two kinds of ivory, white and black, the former 
(elephants’ tusks) being carried by the latter (slaves), 
by which means the slave-trade is rendered more 
profitable. 

Towards this populous and, fertile region, then, 
our adventurers directed their course, when they 
turned out of the great river Zambesi and began to 
ascend the Shire. 

And here, at the very outset of this part of the 
journey, they met with a Portuguese settler, who did 
more to open their ej^es to the blighting and wither- 
ing influence of slavery on the land and on its people 
than anything they had yet seem 

Towards the afternoon of the first day on the 
Shire, they landed near the encampment of the i 
settler referred to, who'turned out to be a gentleman 
of a Portuguese town on the Zambesi. 

Harold found, to his delight, that he could speak 
English fluently, and was, moreover, an exceedingly 
agreeable and well-informed man. He was out at 5i 


BLACK IVORY. 


135 


the time on a hunting expedition, attended by a 
party of slaves. 

Harold spent the evening in very pleasant in- 
tercourse with Senhor Gamba, and at a later hour 
than usual returned to his camp, where he enter- 
tained Disco with an account of his new acquaint- 
ance. 

While thus engaged, he was startled by the most 
appalling^shrieks, which proceeded from the neigh- 
bouring encampment. Under the impression that 
something was wrong, both he and Disco leaped up 
and ran towards it. There, to his amazement and 
horror, Harold beheld his agreeable friend. Senhor 
Gamba .thrashing a young .slave unmercifully with 
a whip of the most ^formidable character. Only a 
fewiashes from it had been given when Harold ran 
up, but these were so .powerful that the unhappy 
victim dropped down in a state of insensibility just 
as he reached the spot. 

The Portuguese “ gentleman” turned -away from 
the prostrate slave with a scowl, but. betrayed a 
slight touch of confusion on meeting the gaze of 
Harold Seadrift. 

rt Senhor !” exclaimed the latter sternly, with 
mingled remonstrance and rebuke in his tone, “ how 
can you be so „ cruel? What has the boy done to 
merit such inhuman chastisement ?” 

“ He has neglected my orders,” answered the 


136 


BLACK IVORY. 


Portuguese, as though he resented the tone in which 
Harold spoke. 

“ But surely, surely,” said Harold, “ the punish- 
ment is far beyond the offence. I can scarcely be- 
lieve the evidence of my own eyes and ears when 
they tell me that you have been 'guilty of this.” 

“ Come,” returned Senhor Gamba, softening into 
a smile, “ you English cannot understand our case 
in this land. Because you do not keep slaves, you 
take the philanthropic, the religious view of the 
question. We who do keep slaves have a< totally 
different experience. You cannot understand, you 
cannot sympathize with us.” 

“ No, truly, we can not -understand you,” said 
Harold earnestly, “ and God forbid that we should 
ever- sympathize with you in this matter. We detest 
the gross injustice of slavery, and we abhor the 
fearful cruelties connected with it.” 

“ That is because, as I said, you are not in our' 
position,” rejoined the Senhor, with a shrug of his 
shoulders. “ It is easy for you to take the. philan- 
thropic view, which, however, I admit to be the 
best, for in the eyes of God all men are equal, and 
though the African be a degraded man, I know 
enough of him to be sure that he can be raised by 
kindness and religion into a position not very in- 
ferior to our own ; but we who keep slaves cannot 
help ourselves : we must act as we do.” 


BLACK IVORY. 


137 


“ Why so? — is cruelty a necessity?” asked Harold. 

“Yes, it- is,” replied the Senhor decidedly. 

“ Then the abolition of slavery is a . needcessity 
too,” growled Disco, who had hitherto looked on and 
listened in silent wonder, debating with himself as 
to the propriety of giving Senhor Gamba, then and 
there, a sound thrashing with his own whip ! 

“ You see,” continued the Portuguese, paying no 
attention to Disco’s growl, — “ You see, in order to live 
out here I must -have slaves, and in order to keep 
slaves I must have a -whip. My whip is no worse 
than any other whip that I know of. I don’t justify it 
as right, I simply defend it as necessary. Wherever 
slavery exists, discipline must of - necessity be- brutal. 
If you keep slaves, and mean that they shall give 
you the labour of their bodies, and of their minds 
also, in so far as you permit them to have minds, 
you must > degrade them by the whip and by all 
other means at your disposal, until, like dogs, they 
become the unhesitating servants of your will, no 
matter what that will may be, and live for your 
pleasure only. It will never pay me to adopt your 
philanthropic, your Religious views. I am here. I 
must be here. What am -I to do? Starve? No, 
not if I can help it. I do as others do — keep slaves 
and act as the master of slaves. I must use the 
whip. Perhaps you won’t believe me,” continued 
Senhor Gamba, with a sad smile, “but I speak truth 


138 


BLACK IVORY. 


when I say that I was . tender-hearted when I first 
came to this country, for I had been well nurtured 
in Lisbon ; but that soon passed away— it could not 
last. I was the laughing-stock of my companions. 
Just to explain my position, I will tell you a cir- 
cumstance which happened soon after I came here. 
The Governor invited me to a party of pleasure. 
The party consisted of himself, his daughters, some 
officers, and -others. We were to go in boats to a 
favourite island resort several miles off. I took one of 
my slaves with me, a lad that I kept about my person. 
As we were going along, this lad fell into the. river. 
He could not swim, and the tide was carrying him fast 
away to death. Dressed as I was, in full uniform, I 
plunged in. after him and saved him. The wish 
alone to save the boy’s life prompted me to risk my 
own. And for this I became the jest of the party ; 
even the ladies tittered at my folly. Next evening 
the Governor had a large dinner-party. I was there. 
Having caught cold, I coughed slightly ; this drew 
attention to me. Remarks' were made, and the 
Governor alluded in scoffing terms to my exploit, 
which created much mirth. Were you drunk?’ 
said one. ‘ Had you lost your senses, to risk your 
life for a brute of a negro V said another. 4 Rather 
than spoil my. uniform, I would have knocked him 
on the head with a pole,’ said a Third ; and it was a 
long time before what they termed my folly was 


BLACK IVORY. 


139 


forgotten or forgiven. You think I am worse than 
others. I am not ; but I do not ^condescend to 
their hypocrisy. What I am now, I have been made 
by this country and ita associates.” 1 

Senhor Gamba said this with the air of one who 
thinks that he has nearly, if not quite,- justified him- 
self. “ I am no worse than others,” is an excuse 
for evil conduct not altogether unknown in more 
highly favoured lands, and is often followed by the 
illogical .conclusion, “ therefore I am not to blame 
but, although Harold felt pity for his agreeable 
chance .acquaintance, he could not admit that this 
explanation excused him, nor could he- get over the 
shock which his feelings had sustained; it was, 
therefore, with comparatively little .regret that he 
bade him adieu on the following morning, and 
pursued his onward way. 

Everywhere along the Shire they met with a more 
or less hospitable-reception from the natives, who 
regarded them with greats favour, in consequence of 
their, belonging to the same- nation which had sent 
forth men to explore their country, defend them from 
the slave-dealer, and teach them about the true God. 
These men, of whom mention is made in another 
chapter, had, some time before this, been sent by 

i These words are not fictitious. The remarks of Senhor Gamba 
were actually spoken by a Portuguese slave-owner, and will be 
found in The Story of the Universities' Mission to Central Africa l 
pp. 64-5-6. 


140 


BLACK IVORY. 


the; Church of England to the Manganja highlands, 
at the. suggestion of Dr. Livingstone, and laid, 
we believe, the foundation-stone of Christian civi- 
lisation in the interior of Africa, though God saw 
fit to arrest them in the raising of the super- 
structure. 

Among other pieces of useful knowledge conveyed 
by them to the negroes of the Shire, was the fact that 
Englishmen are not cannibals, and that they have no 
special longings after blackman steaks ! 

It may perchance surprise some readers to learn 
that black men ever entertain such a preposterous 
notion. Nevertheless, it is literally true. The 
slavers— Arabs and Portuguese — find it their interest 
to instil this falsehood into the minds of the ignorant 
tribes of the interior, from whom the slaves are 
gathered, in order that their captives may entertain 
a salutary horror of Englishmen, so that if their 
dhows should be chased by our cruisers while creep- 
' ing northward along the coast, and run the risk of 
being taken, the slaves may willingly aid their 
captors in trying to escape. That the lesson has 
been well learnt and thoroughly believed is proved 
by the fact that when a dhow is obliged to run 
ashore to avoid capture, the slaves invariably take to 
the woods on the wings of terror, preferring, no 
doubt, to be re-enslaved rather than to be roasted 
and eaten by white fiends. Indeed, so thoroughly 


BLACK IVORY. 


141 


has this been engrained into the native mind, that 
mothers frequently endeavour to overawe their re- 
fractory offspring by threatening to hand them over 
to the dreadful white monster who will eat them up 
if they don’t behave I 


1 


142 


BLACK IYORY. 


CHAPTER VIIL 
I 

RELATES ADVENTURES IN THE SHIRE VALLEY, AND TOUCHES ON ONE 
OR TWO PHASES OF SLAVERY. 

Everything depends upon, taste, as the monkey 
remarked when it took to nibbling the end of its own 
tail ! If you like a thing, you take one view of it ; 
if you don’t like it, you take another view. Either 
view, if detailed, would be totally irreconcilable with 
the other. 

The lower part of the river Shire, into which our 
travellers had now entered, is a vast swamp. There 
are at least two opinions in regard to that region. 
To do justice to those with whom we don’t sympa- 
thize, we give our opponent’s view first. Our oppo- 
nent, observe, is an honest and competent man ; he 
speaks truly ; he only looks at it in another light 
from Harold Seadrift and Disco Lillihammer. 

He says of the river Shire, “ It drains a low and 
exceedingly fertile valley of from fifteen to twenty 
miles in breadth. Ranges of wooded hills bound 
this valley on both sides. After the first twenty 
miles you come to Mount Morambala, which rises 


BLACK IVORY. 


W3 

with steep sides to 4000 feet in height. It is wooded 
to the top, and very beautifuL A small village peeps 
out about half-way up the mountain. It has a pure, 
bracing atmosphere, and is perched above -mosquito 
range. The people on the summit have a very 
different climate and vegetation from those on the 
plains, and they live amidst luxuriant vegetation. 
There are many species of ferns, some so large as to 
deserve the name of trees. There are also lemon 
and orange trees growing wild, and birds and ani- 
mals of all kinds.” Thus far we agree with our 
opponent, but listen to him as he goes on : — 

“ The view from Morambala is extensive, but 
cheerless past description. Swamp, swamp — reek- 
ing, festering, rotting, malaria-pregnant swamp, 
where poisonous vapours for several months in the 
year are ever bulging up and out into the air, — lies 
before you as far as the eye can reach, and farther. 
If you enter the river at the worst seasons of the 
year, the chances are you will take the worst type 
of fever. If, on the other hand, you enter it during 
the best season, when the swamps are fairly dried 
up, you have everything in your favour.” 

Now, our opponent gives a true statement of facts 
undoubtedly, but his view of them is not cheering. 

Contrast them with the view of Disco Lilliham- 
mer. That sagacious seaman had entered the Shire 
neither in the “ best” nor the “ worst” of the sea- 


144 


BLACK IVORY. 


son. He had chanced upon it somewhere between 
the two. 

" Git up your steam an’ go ’longside,” he said 
to Jumbo one afternoon, as the two canoes were 
proceeding quietly among magnificent giant-reeds, 
sedges, and bulrushes, which towered high above 
them — in some places overhung them. 

“ I say. Mister Harold, ain’t it splendid ? ” 

“ Magnificent ! ” replied Harold with a look of 
quiet enthusiasm. 

“ I does enjoy a swamp,” continued the seaman, 
allowing a thin cloud to trickle from his lips. 

“ So do I, Disco.” 

“ There ’s such a many outs and ins an’ round- 
abouts in it. And such powerful reflections o’ them 
reeds in the quiet water. W’y, sir, I do declare 
w’en I looks through ’em in a dreamy sort of way 
for a long time I get to fancy they ’re palm-trees an’ 
that we ’re sailin’ through a forest without no end to 
it; an’ w’en I looks over the side an’ sees every 
reed standin’ on its other self, so to speak, an’ follers 
the under one down till my eyes git lost in the blue 
sky an’ clouds below us, I do sometimes feel as if 
we ’d got into the middle of fairy-land, ^-was fairly 
afloat on the air, an’ off on a voyage through the 
univarse ! But it’s them reflections as I like most. 
Every leaf, an’ stalk, an’ flag is just as good an’ real 
in the water as out of it. An’ just look at that 


BLACK IVOKY. 


145 


there frog, sir, that one on the big leaf which has 
swelled hisself up as if he wanted to bust, with his 
head looking up hopefully to the — ah ! he ’s down* 
with a plop like lead, but he wos sittin’ on his own 
image which wos as clear as his own self. Then 
there ’s so much variety, sir — that's where it is. You 
never know wot you ’re cornin’ to in them swamps. 
It may be a openin’ like a pretty lake, with islands 
of reeds everywhere ; or it may be a narrow bit like 
a canal, or a river; or a bit so close that you go 
scrapin’ the gun’les on both sides. An’ the life, too, 
is most . amazin’. Never saw nothin’ like it no- 
where. All kinds, big an’ little, plain an’ pritty, 
queer an’ ’orrible, swarms here to sitch an extent that 
I ’ve got it into my head that this Shire valley must 
be the great original nursery of animated nature.” 

“ It looks like it, Disco.” 

The last idea appeared to furnish food for reflec- 
tion, as the two friends here relapsed into silence. 

Although Disco’s description was quaint, it could 
scarcely be styled exaggerated, for the swamp was 
absolutely alive with animal life. The principal 
occupant of these marshes is the elephant, and 
hundreds of these monster animals may be seen in 
one herd feeding like cattle in a meadow. Owing 
to the almost impenetrable nature of the reedy 
jungle, however, it is impossible to follow them, and 
anxious though Disco was to kill one, he failed to 
K 


146 


BLACK IVORY. 


obtain a single shot. Buffaloes and other large game 
were also numerous in this region, and in the water 
crocodiles and hippopotami sported about every- 
where, while aquatic birds of every shape and size 
rendered the air vocal with their cries. Sometimes 
these feathered denizens of the swamp arose, when 
startled, in a dense -cloud so vast that the mighty 
rush of their wings was almost thunderous in 
character. 

The crocodiles were not only numerous, but 
dangerous because of their audacity. They used to 
watch at the places where native women were in 
the habit of going down to the river for water, and 
not unfrequently succeeded in seizing a victim. 
This, however, only happened at those periods when 
the Shire was in flood, when fish were driven from 
their wonted haunts, and the crocodiles were reduced 
to a state of starvation and consequent ferocity. 

One evening, while our travellers were proceed- 
ing slowly up stream, they observed the corpse ol 
a negro boy floating past the canoe; just then a 
monstrous crocodile rushed at it with the speed o i 
a greyhound, caught it and shook it as a terrier does 
a rat. Others dashed at the prey, each with his 
powerful tail causing the water to churn and froth 
as he tore off a piece. In a few seconds all was 
gone . 1 That same evening Zombo had a narrow 

1 Livingstone’s Zambesi and its Tributaries, p. 452. 


BLACK IVOKY. 


147 


escape. After dusk he ran down to the river to 
drink. He chanced to go to a spot where a croco- 
dile was watching. It lay settled down in the 
mud with its head on a level with the water, so 
that in the feeble light it could not be seen. While 
Zombo was busy laving the water into his mouth it 
suddenly rushed at him and caught him by the 
hand. The limb of a bush was fortunately within 
reach, and he laid hold of it. There was a brief 
struggle. The crocodile tugged hard, but the man 
tugged harder ; at the same time he uttered a yell 
which brought Jumbo to his side with an oar, a 
blow from which drove the hideous reptile away. 
Poor Zombo was too glad to have escaped with his 
life to care much about the torn hand, which 
rendered him hors dc combat for some time after 
that. 

Although Disco failed to get a shot at an elephant, 
his hopeful spirit was gratified by the catching of a 
baby-elephant alive. It happened thus 

One morning, not very long after Zombo’s tussle 
with the crocodile, Disco’s canoe, which chanced to 
be in advance, suddenly ran almost into the midst 
of a herd of -elephants which were busy feeding on 
palm -nuts, of which they are very fond. Instantly 
the whole troop scattered and fled. Disco, taken 
completely by surprise, omitted his wonted “Hallo !” 
as he made an awkward plunge at his rifle, but be- 


148 


BLACK IVORY. 


fore lie could bring it to bear, the animals were over 
the bank of the river and lost in the dense jungle. 
But a fine little • elephant, at that period of life 
^which, in human beings, might be- styled the toddling 
age, was observed to stumble while attempting to 
follow its mother up the bank. It fell and- rolled 
backwards. 

“ Give way for your lives ! ” roared Disco. 

The boat shot its bow on the bank, and the sea- 
man flew rather than leaped upon the baby 
elephant ! 

The instant it was laid hold of it began to scream 
with incessant and piercing energy after the fashion 
of a pig. 

“ Queek ! come in canoe ! Modder come back 
for ’im,” cried Jumbo in some anxiety. 

Disco at once appreciated the danger of the 
enraged mother returning to the rescue, but, resolved 
not to resign his advantage, he seized the vicious little 
creature by the proboscis and dragged it by main 
force to the qanoe, into which he tumbled, hauled 
the proboscis inboard, as though it had been the 
bite of a cable, and held on. 

“ Shove off ! shove off ! and give way, lads ! 
Look alive ! ” 

The order was promptly obeyed, and in a few 
minutes the baby was dragged into the boat and 
secured. 


\ 

BLACK IVORY. 


149 


This prize, however, was found to be more of a 
nuisance than an amusement, and it was soon de- 
cided that it must be disposed of. Accordingly, 
that very night, much to the regret of the men who 
wanted to matte a meal of it, Disco led his baby 
squealing into the jungle and set it free with a 
hearty slap on the flank, and an earnest recommen- 
dation to make all sail after its venerable mother, 
which it did forthwith, cocking its ears and tail, 
and shrieking as it went. 

Two days after this event they made a brief halt 
at a poor village where they were hospitably received 
by the chief, who was much gratified by the liberal 
quantity of calico with which the travellers paid for 
their entertainment. Here they met with a Portu- 
guese half-caste who was reputed one of the greatest 
monsters of cruelty in that part of the country. 
He was, however, not much more villanous in aspect 
than many other half-castes whom they saw. He 
was on his way to the coast in a canoe manned by 
slaves. If Harold and Disco had known that this 
was his last journey to the coast they would have 
regarded him with greater interest. As it was, 
having learned his history from the chief through 
their interpreter, they turned from him with loathing. 

As this half-caste’s career illustrates the depths 
to which humanity may fall in the hot-bed of 
slavery, as well as, to some extent, the state of 


150 


BLACK IVORY. 


things existing under Portuguese rule on the east 
coast of Africa, we give the particulars briefly. 

Instead of the whip, this man used the gun, which 
he facetiously styled his “ minister of justice/’ and, in 
mere' wantonness, he was known to have committed 
murder again and again, yet no steps were taken 
by the authorities to restrain, much less to punish 
him. Men heard of his murders, but they shrugged 
their shoulders and did nothing. It was only a 
wild beast of a negro that was killed, they said, 
and what was that ! They seemed to think less of 
it than if he had shot a hippopotamus. One of his 
murders was painfully notorious, even to its minutest 
particulars. Over the female slaves employed in a 
house and adjacent lands there is usually placed a 
head- woman, a slave also, chosen for such an office 
for her blind fidelity to her master. This man had 
one such woman, one who had ever been faithful to 
him and his interests, who had never provoked him 
by disobedience or ill-conduct, and against whom, 
therefore, he could have no cause of complaint. One 
day when half drunk he was lying on a couch in 
his house ; his forewoman entered and made herseli 
busy with some domestic work. As her master lay 
watching her, his savage disposition found vent in 
a characteristic joke : “ Woman,” said he, “ I think 
I will shoot you.” The woman turned round and 
said, “ Master, I am your slave ; you can 'do what 


BLACK IVORY. 


151 


you will with me. You can kill me if you like ; I 
can do nothing. But don't kill me, master, for if 
you do, who is there to look after your other women ? 
they will all run away from you.” 

She did not mean to irritate her master, but 
instantly the man’s brutal egotism was aroused. 
The savage jest became a fearful reality, and he 
shouted with rage : — 

“ Say you that ! say you that ! fetch me my gun. 
[ will see if my women will run away after I have 
killed you.” 

Trained to implicit obedience, the poor woman 
did as she was bid. She brought the gun and handed 
him powder and ball. At his command she knelt 
down before him, and the wretch fired at her breast. 
In his drunken rage he missed his mark — the ball 
went through her shoulder. She besought him to 
spare her. Deaf to her entreaties, he ordered her to 
fetch more powder and ball. Though wounded and 
in agony, she obeyed him. Again the gun was 
loaded, again levelled and fired, and the woman fell 
dead at his feet . 1 

The facts of this case were known far and wide. 
The Portuguese Governor was acquainted with them, 
as well as the ministers of justice, but no one put forth 
a hand to punish the monster, or to protect his slaves. 

. - i The above narrative is quoted almost verbatim from The Story of 
i the Universities' Mission to Central Africa, pp. 78-9, the author of 
which vouches for its accuracy. 


152 


BLACK IVORY. 


But vengeance overtook him at last. On his way 
down the Zambesi he shot one of his men. The 
others, roused to irresistible fury, sprung upon and 
strangled him. 

Then, indeed, the Governor and Magistrates were 
roused to administer “ justice l” They had allowed 
this fiend to murder slaves at his will, but no sooner 
had the slaves turned on and killed their master 
than ceaseless energy and resolution were displayed 
in punishing those who slew him. Soldiers were 
sent out in all directions ; some of the canoe-men 
were shot down like wild beasts, the rest were re- 
captured and publicly whipped to death ! 

Reader, this is “ domestic slavery.” This is what 
Portugal and Zanzibar claim the right to practise. 
This is what Great Britain has for many years 
declined to interfere with. This is the curse with 
which Africa is blighted at the present day in some 
of her fairest lands, and this is what Portugal has 
decreed shall not terminate in what she calls her 
African dominions for some years to come. In other 
words, it has been coolly decreed by that weakest 
of all the European nations, that slavery, murder, 
injustice, and every other conceivable and un- 
mentionable vice and villany shall still, for some 
considerable time, continue to be practised on the 
men, women, and children of Africa ! 

Higher up the Shire river, the travellers saw 


BLACK IVORY. 


153 


symptoms of recent distress among the people, 
which caused them much concern. Chimbolo, in 
particular, was rendered very anxious by the account 
given of the famine which prevailed still farther 
up the river, and the numerous deaths that had 
taken place in consequence. 

The cause of the distress was a common one, and 
easily explained. Slave- dealers had induced the 
Ajawa, a warlike tribe, to declare war against the 
people of the Manganja highlands. The Ajawa had 
done this before, and were but too ready to do it 
again. They invaded the land, captured many of 
the young people, and slew the aged. Those who 
escaped to the jungle found on their return that 
their crops were destroyed. Little seed remained in 
their possession, and before that was planted and 
grown, famine began to reduce the. ranks, already 
thinned by war. 

Indications of this sad state of things became 
more numerous as the. travellers advanced. Few 
natives appeared to greet them on the banks of the 
river as they went along, and these few resembled 
living skeletons. In many places they found dead 
bodies lying on the ground in various stages of de- 
composition, and everywhere they beheld an aspect 
of settled unutterable despair on the faces of the 
scattered remnant of the bereaved and starving 
people. 


154 


BLACK IVOIIY. 


It was impossible, in the circumstances, for Harold 
Seadrift to give these wretched people more than 
very slight relief. He gave them as much of his 
stock of provisions as he could spare, and was glad 
when the necessity of continuing the journey on 
foot relieved him from such mournful scenes by 
taking him away from the river’s bank. 

Hiring a party of the strongest men that he could 
find among them, he at length left his canoes, made 
up his goods, food, and camp-equipage into bundles 
of a shape and size suitable to being carried on the 
heads of men, and started on foot for the Manganja 
highlands. 

“ Seems to me, sir,” observed Disco, as they 
plodded along together on the first morning of the 
land journey — “ seems to me, sir, that Chimbolo 
don’t stand much chance of findin’ his wife alive.” 

“ Poor fellow,” replied Harold, glancing back at 
the object of their remarks, “ I fear not.” 

Chimbolo had by that time recovered much of his 
natural vigour, and although not yet able to carry 
a man’s load, was nevertheless quite capable of 
following the party. He walked in silence, with his 
eyefc on the ground, a few paces behind Antonio, 
who was a step or two in rear of his leader, and 
who, in virtue of his position as “ bo’s’n ” to the 
party, was privileged to walk hampered by no greater 
burden than his gun. 


BLACK IVORY. 


155 


“ We must keep up his sperrits, tho’, poor chap,” 
said Disco, in the hoarse whisper with which he was 
wont to convey secret remarks, and which was much 
more fitted to attract attention than his ordinary 
voice. “ It ’ud never do to let his sperrits down ; 
’cause w*y ? he ’s weak, an’ if he know’d that his 
wife was dead, or took off as a slave, he ’d never he 
able to go along with us, and we couldn’t leave him 
to starve here, you know.” 

“ Certainly not, Disco,” returned Harold. “ Besides, 
his wife may he alive, for all we know to the con- 
trary. — How far did he say the village was from 
where we landed, Antonio ?” 

“ ’Bout two, free days,” answered the bo’s’n. 

That night the party encamped beside the ruins 
of a small hamlet, where charred sticks and frag- 
ments of an African household’s goods and chattels 
lay scattered on the ground. 

Chimbolo sat down here on the ground, and, resting 
his chin on his knees, gazed in silence at the mm 
around him. 

“ Come, cheer up, old fellow,” cried Disco, with 
rather an awkward effort at heartiness, as he slapped 
the negro gently on the shoulder; “ tell him, Antonio, 
not to let his heart go down. Didn’t he say that 
what-dee-call-the-place — his village — was a strong 
place, and could he easily held by a few brave 
men?” 


156 


BLACK IVORY. 


“ True/’ replied Chimbolo, through the interpreter, 
“ but the Manganja men are not very brave.” 

“Well, well, never mind,” rejoined the sym- 
pathetic tar, repeating his pat on the back, “ there 's 
no sayin\ P'raps they got courage w'en it came 
to the scratch. P'raps it never came to the scratch 
at all up there. Mayhap you 'll find 'em all right 
after all. Come, never say die s’ long as there 's a 
shot in the locker. That's a good motto for 'ee, 
Chimbolo, and ought to keep up your heart, even 
tho' ye are a nigger, ’cause it wos inwented by the 
great Nelson, and shouted by him, or his bo's'n, just 
before he got knocked over at the glorious battle of 
Trafalgar. Tell him that, Antonio.” 

Whether Antonio told him all that, is extremely 
doubtful, although he complied at once with the 
order, for Antonio never by any chance declined at 
least to attempt the duties of his station, but the 
only effect of his speech was that Chimbolo shook 
his head and continued to stare at the ruins. 

Next morning they started early, and towards 
evening drew near to Zomba. 

The country through which, during the previous 
two days, they had travelled, was very beautiful, 
and as wild as even Disco could desire — and, by the 
way, it was no small degree of wildness that could 
slake the thirst for the marvellous which had been 
awakened in the breast of our tar, by his recent 


BLACK IVORY. 


157 


experiences in Africa. It was, he said— and said 
truly — a real out-and-out wilderness. There were 
villages everywhere, no doubt, but these were so 
thickly concealed by trees and jungle that they 
were not easily seen, and most of them were at that 
time almost depopulated. The grass was higher 
than the heads of the travellers, and the vegetation 
everywhere was rankly luxuriant. Here and there 
open glades allowed the eye to penetrate into other- 
wise impenetrable bush. Elsewhere, large trees 
abounded in the midst of overwhelmingly affec- 
tionate parasites, whose gnarled lower limbs and 
twining tendrils and pendant foliage gave a softness 
to the landscape, which contrasted well with the wild 
|>asses and rugged rocks of the middle distance and 
the towering mountains which rose, range beyond 
range, in the far distance. 

But as the party approached the neighbourhood 
of Zomba mountains, few of them were disposed to 
give much heed to the beauties of nature. All being 
interested in Chimbolo, they became more or less 
anxious as to news that awaited him. 

On turning a spur of one of the mountains which 
had hitherto barred their vision, they found them- 
selves suddenly face to face with a small band of 
Manganja men, whose woe- begone countenances 
told too eloquently that the hand of the destroyer 
had been heav^" fctpbn them. 


L58 


BLACK IVORY. 


Of course they were questioned by Chimbolo, and 
the replies they gave him were such as to confirm 
the fears he had previously entertained. 

The Ajawa, they said, just the day before, burnt 
their villages, stole or destroyed their property, 
killed many of their kinsmen, and carried off their 
wives and children for slaves. They themselves 
had escaped, and were now on their way to visit 
their chief, who was at that time on the banks of 
the Zambesi, to beg of him to return, in order that 
he might bewitch the guns of the Ajawa, and so 
render them harmless ! 

“ Has a woman of your tribe, named Marunga, 
been slain or captured?” asked Chimbolo eagerly. 

To this the men replied that they could not tell. 
Marunga, they said, was known well to them by 
name and sight. They did not think she was 
among the captives, but could not tell what had 
become of her, as the village where she and her 
little boy lived had been burnt, and all who had 
not been killed or captured had taken to the bush. 
Marunga’s husband, they added, was a man named 
Chimbolo— not a Manganja man, but a friend of 
the tribe — who had been taken by the slavers, 
under command of a Portuguese half-caste named 
Marizano, about two years before that time. 

Chimbolo winced as though he had been, stung 
when Marizano’s name was mentioned, and a dark 


BLACK IVORY. 


159 


frown contracted his brows when he told the Man- 
ganja men that Jie was* .Chimbolo, and that he 
was even then in search of Marunga and her little 
boy. 

When all this had been explained to Harold Sea- 
drift, he told the men that it was a pity to waste 
time in travelling such a long way to see their chief, 
who could not, even if he wished, bewitch the guns 
of the Ajawa, and advised them to turn back and 
guide him and his men to the place where the 
attack had been made on the Manganja, so that a 
search might be made in the bush for those of the 
people who had escaped. 

This was agreed to, and the whole party proceeded 
on their way with increased speed, Chimbolo and 
Harold hoping they might yet find that Marunga 
had escaped, and Disco earnestly desiring that they 
might only fall in with the Ajawa and have a brush 
with them, in which case he assured the negroes he 
would show them a way of bewitching their guns 
that would beat their chief’s bewitchment all to 
sticks and stivers ! 

The village in which Marunga had dwelt was 
soon reached. It was, as they had been told by 
their new friends, a heap of still smouldering ashes ; 
but it was not altogether destitute of signs of life. 
A dog was observed to slink away into the bush as 
they approached. 


160 


BLACK IVORY. 


The moment Chimbolo observed it he darted into 
the bush after it. 

. “ Hallo !” exclaimed Disco in surprise ; “ that 
nigger seems to have took a sudden fancy to the 
cur? — Eh, Antonio, wot ’s the reason of that, 
think ’ee ?” 

“ Dun no ; s’pose where dog be mans be.” 

“ Ah ! or womans,” suggested Disco. 

“ Or. womans,” assented Antonio. 

Just then they heard Chimbolo’s shout, which 
was instantly followed by a succession of female 
shrieks. These latter were repeated several times, 
and sounded as though the fugitives were scattering. 

“ Hims find a nest of womins !” exclaimed Jumbo, j 
throwing down his load and dashing away into the 
bush. 

Every individual of the party followed his ex- 
ample, not excepting Harold and Disco, the latter 
of whom was caught by the leg, the moment he left 
che track, by a wait-a-bit thorn — most appropriately 
so called, because its powerful spikes are always 
ready to seize and detain the unwary passer-by. In 
the present instance it checked the seaman’s career 
for a few seconds, and rent his nether garments 
sadly; while Harold, profiting by his friend’s mis- 
fortune, leaped over the bush, and passed on. Disco 
quickly extricated himself, and followed. 

They were not left far behind, and overtook their 


BLACK IVORY. 


161 


comrades just as they emerged on an open space, or 
glade, at the extremity of which a sight met their 
eyes that filled them with astonishment, for there a 
troop of women and one or two boys were seen 
walking towards them, with Chimbolo in front, 
having a child on his left shoulder, and performing 
a sort of insane war-dance round one of the women. 

“ He's catched her!” exclaimed Disco, with ex- 
cited looks, just as if Chimbolo had been angling 
unsuccessfully for a considerable time, and had 
hooked a stupendous fish at last. 

And Disco was right. A few of the poor creatures 
who were so recently burnt out of their homes, 
and had lost most of those dearest to them, had 
ventured, as if drawn by an irresistible spell, to re- 
turn with timid steps to the scene of their former 
happiness, but only to have their worst fears con- 
firmed. Their homes, their protectors, their children, 
their hopes, all were gone at one fell swoop. Only 
one among them — one who, having managed to save 
her only child, had none to mourn over, and no one 
to hope to meet with — only one returned to a joyful 
meeting. We need scarcely say that this was 
Marunga. 

The fact was instantly made plain to the travel- 
lers by the wild manner in which Chimbolo shouted 
her name, pointed to her, and danced round her, 
while he showed all his glistening teeth and as 
L 


162 


BLACK IVORY. 


much of the .whites of his eyes as was consistent 
with these members remaining in their orbits. 

Really it was quite touching, in spite of its being 
ludicrous, the way in which the poor fellow poured 
forth his joy like a very child, — which he was in 
everything except years ; and Harold could not 
help remembering and recalling to Disco’s memory 
Yoosoof’s observations touching the hardness of 
negroes’ hearts, and their want of natural affection, 
on the morning when his dhow was captured by 
the boat of the 4 Firefly.’ 

The way in which, ever and anon, Chimbolo 
kissed his poor but now happy wife, was wondrously 
similar to the mode in which white men perform 
that little operation, except that there was more of 
an unrefined smack in it. The tears which would 
hop over his sable cheeks now and then sparkled 
to the full as brightly as European tears, and were 
perhaps somewhat bigger ; and the pride with which 
he regarded his little son, holding him in both hands 
out at arms’-length, was only excelled by the joy 
and the tremendous laugh with which he received a 
kick on the nose from that undutiful son’s black 
little toes. 

But Yoosoof never chanced to be present when 
such exhibitions of negro feeling and susceptibility 
took place. How could he, seeing that men and 
women and ohildren— if black — fled from him and 


BLACK IVORY. 


163 


such as he in abject terror ? Neither did Yoosoof 
ever chance to he present when women sat down 
beside their blackened hearths, as they did that 
night, and quietly wept as though their hearts would 
burst, at the memory of little voices and manly 
tones — not silent in death, but worse than that — 
gone, gone for ever ! Doubtless they felt, though 
they never heard of, and could not in words express, 
the sentiment— 

“ Oh for the touch of a vanished hand, 

And the sound of a voice that is still ! w 

Yoosoof knew not of, and cared nothing for, such 
feelings as these. We ask again, how could he? 
His only experience of the negro was when cowering 
before him as a slave, or when yelling in agony 
under his terrible lash, or when brutalized and 
rendered utterly apathetic by inhuman cruelty. 

Harold learned, that night, on further conversa- 
tion with the Manganja men, that a raid had re- 
cently been made into those regions by more than 
one band of slavers, sent out to capture men and 
women by the Portuguese half-castes of the towns 
of Sena and Tete, on the Zambesi, and that they 
had been carrying the inhabitants out of the country 
at the rate of about two hundred a week. 

This however was but a small speck, so to speak, 
of the mighty work of kidnapping human beings that 
was going on — that is still going on in those regions. 


164 


BLACK IVORY. 


Yoosoof would have smiled — he never laughed — if 
you had mentioned such a number as being large. 

But in truth he Gared nothing about such facts, 
except in so far as they represented a large amount 
of profit accruing to himself. 

The result of Harold Seadrift’s cogitations on 
these matters was that he resolved to pass through 
as much of the land as he could within a reasonable 
time, and agreed to accompany Chimbolo on a visit 
to his tribe, which dwelt at some distance to the 
north of the Manganja highlands. 


\ 


BLACK IVORY. 


] 65 


CHAPTER IX. 

IN WHJOH A SAVAGE CHIEF ASTONISHES A SAVAGE ANIMAL. 

There is something exceedingly pleasant in the 
act of watching — ourselves unseen — the proceedings 
of some one whose aims and ends appear to he very 
mysterious. There is such a wide field of specula- 
tion opened up in which to expatiate, such a vast 
amount of curious, we had almost said romantic, 
expectation created ; all the more if the individual 
whom we observe be a savage, clothed in an un- 
familiar and very scanty garb, and surrounded by ’ 
scenery and circumstances which, albeit strange to 
us, are evidently by no means new to him. 

Let us — you and me, reader, — quitting for a time 
the sad subject of slavery, and leaping, as we are 
privileged to do, far ahead of our explorers Harold 
Seadrift and his company, into the region of Central 
Africa; let you and me take up a position in a 
clump of trees by the banks of yonder stream, and 
watch the proceedings of that negro — negro-chief 
let me say, for he looks like one, — who is engaged in 


166 


BLACK IVORY. 


some mysterious enterprise under the shade of a 
huge baobab tree. 

The chief is a fine, stately, well-developed speci- 
men of African manhood. He is clothed in black 
tights manufactured in nature’s loom, in addition to 
which he wears round his loins a small scrap of 
artificial cotton cloth. If an enthusiastic member 
of the Royal Academy were in search of a model 
which should combine the strength of Hercules with 
the grace of Apollo, he could not find a better than 
the man before us, for, you will observe, the more 
objectionable points about our ideal of the negro are 
not very prominent in him. His lips are not thicker 
than the lips of many a roast-beef-loving John Bull 
His nose is not flat, and his heels do not protrude 
unnecessarily. Tine, his hair is woolly, but that is 
scarcely a blemish. It might almost be regarded as 
the crisp and curly hair that surrounds a manly 
skull. His skin is black — no doubt about that, but 
then it is intensely black and glossy, suggestive of 
black satin, and having no savour of that dirtiness 
which is inseparably connected With whity-brown. 
Tribes in Africa differ materially in many respects, 
physically and mentally, just as do the various 
tribes of Europe. 

This chief, as we have hinted, is a “savage;” 
that is to say, he differs in many habits and points 
from “ civilized ” people. Among other peculiarities, 


BLACK IVORY. 


167 


he -clothes himself and his family in the fashion 
that is best suited to the warm climate in which he 
dwells. This display of wisdom is, as you know, 
somewhat rare among civilized people, as any one 
may perceive who observes how these over- clothe the 
upper parts of their children, and leave their tender 
little lower limbs exposed to the rigours of northern 
latitudes, while, as if to make up for this inconsis- 
tency by an inconsistent counterpoise, they swathe 
their own tough and mature limbs in thick flannel 
from head to foot. 

It is however simple justice to civilized people 
to add here that a few of them, such as a portion of 
the Scottish Highlanders, are consistent, inasmuch 
as the men clothe themselves similarly to the 
children. 

Moreover, our chief, being a savage, takes daily 
a sufficient amount of fresh air and exercise, which 
nine-tenths of civilized men -refrain from doing, on 
the economic and wise principle, apparently, that 
engrossing and unnatural devotion to the acquisition 
of wealth, fame, or knowledge, will enable them at 
last to spend a few paralytic years in the enjoyment 
of their gains. Ho doubt civilized people have the 
trifling little drawback of innumerable ills, to which 
they say (erroneously, we think) that flesh is heir, 
and for the cure of which much of their wealth is 
spent in supporting an army of doctors. Savages 


168 


BLACK IVORY. 


know nothing of indigestion, and in Central Africa 
they have no medical men. 

There is yet another difference which we may 
point out: savages have no literature. They cannot 
read or write therefore, and have no permanent 
records of the deeds of their forefathers. Neither 
have they any religion worthy of the name. This 
is indeed a serious evil, one which civilized people 
of course deplore, yet, strange to say, one which 
consistency prevents some civilized people from 
remedying in the case of African savages, for it 
would be absurdly inconsistent in Arab Mohamme- 
dans to touch the negroes letters and the doctrines 
of their faith with one hand, while with the other 
they lashed them to death or dragged them into 
perpetual slavery ; and it would be equally incon- 
sistent in Portuguese Christians to teach the negroes 
to read “ Whatsoever ye would that men should do 
unto you, do ye even so to them,” while “ domestic 
slavery” is, in their so-called African territories, 
claimed as a right, and the traffic connected with it 
sanctioned. 

Yes, there are many points of difference between 
civilized people and savages, and we think it right 
to point this out very clearly, good reader, because 
the man at whom you and I are looking just now 
is a “ savage/’ 

Of course, being capable of reading this book, you 


BLACK IVORY. 


169 


are too old to require to be told that there is nothing 
of our nursery savage about him. That peculiar 
abortion was born and bred in the nursery, and 
dwells only there, and was never heard of beyond 
civilized lands — although something not unlike him, 
alas ! may be seen here and there among the lanes 
and purlieus where our drunkards and profligates 
resort. No ; our savage chief does not roar, or glare, 
or chatter, or devour his food in its blood like the 
giant of the famous Jack. He carries himself like a 
man, and a remarkably handsome man too, with his 
body firm and upright, and his head bent a little 
forward, with his eyes fixed on the ground, as if in 
meditation, while he walks along. 

But a truce to digressive explanation. Let us 
follow him. 

Beaching the banks of the river, he stops, and, 
standing in an attitude worthy of Apollo, though he 
is not aware that we are looking at him, gazes first 
up the stream and then down. This done, he looks 
across, after which he tries to penetrate the depths 
of the water with his eye. 

As no visible result follows, he wisely gives up 
sfaring and wishing, and apparently resolves to 
attain his ends by action. Felling a small tree, 
about as thick as his thigh, with an iron hatchet, he 
cuts off it a length of about six feet. Into one end 
of this he drives a sharp-pointed hard- wood spike, 


170 


BLACK IVORY. 


several inches long, and to the other end attaches a 
stout rope made of the fibrous husk of the cocoa-nut. 
The point of the spike he appears to anoint — 
probably a charm of some kind, — and then suspends 
the curious instrument over a forked stick at a con- 
siderable height from the ground, to which he fastens 
the other end of the rope. This done, he walks 
quietly away with an air of as much self- satisfac- 
tion as if he had just performed a generous deed. 

Well, is that all ? Nay, if that were all we should 
owe you a humble apology; Our chief, “savage” 
though he be, is not insane. He has an object in 
view — which is more than can be said of- every- 
body. 

He has not been, long gone, an hour or two, when 
the smooth surface of the river is broken in several 
places and out burst two or three heads of hippo- 
potami. Although, according to Disco Lillihammer, 
the - personification of ugliness, these creatures do 
not the less enjoy their existence. They roll about 
in the stream like puncheons, dive under one another 
playfully, sending huge waves to the banks on either 
side. They gape hideously with their- tremendous 
jaws, which look as though they had been split 
much too far back in the head by a rude hatchet 
— the tops of all the teeth having apparently been 
lopped off by the same clumsy blow. They laugh 
too, with a demoniacal “ Ha ! ha ! ha ! ” as if they 


BLACK IVORY. 


171 


rejoiced in their excessive plainness, and knew that 
we — you and I, reader — are regarding them with 
disgust not unmingled with awe. 

Presently one of the herd betakes himself to the 
land. He is tired of play, and means to feed. Grass 
appears to be his only food, and to procure this he 
must needs go back from the river a short way, his 
enormous lips, like an animated mowing-machine, 
cutting a track of short cropped grass as he waddles 
along. 

The form of that part of the bank is such that he 
is at least inclined, if not constrained, to pass directly 
under the suspended beam. Ha ! we understand 
the matter now. Most people do understand, when 
a thing becomes obviously plain. The hippopotamus 
wants grass for supper; the “savage” chief wants 
hippopotamus. Both set about arranging their 
plans for their respective ends. The hippopo- 
tamus passes close to the forked stick, and touches 
the cord which sustains it in air like the sword of 
Damocles. Down comes the beam, driving the 
spike deep into his back. A cry follows, something 
between a grunt, a squeak, and a yell, and the 
wounded animal falls, rolls over, jumps up, with 
unexpected agility for such a sluggish, unwieldy 
creature, and rumbles, rushes, rolls, and stumbles 
back into the river, where his relatives take to flight 
in mortal terror. The unfortunate beast might per- 


172 


BLACK IVORY. 


haps recover from the wound, were it not that the 
spike has been tipped with poison. The result is that 
he dies in about an hour. Not long afterwards the 
chief returns with a band of his followers, who, 
being experts in the use of the knife and hatchet, 
soon make mince-meat of their game — laden with 
which they return in triumph to their homes. 

Let us follow them thither. 


BLACK 1Y0KY. 


173 


CHAPTEK X. 


DESCRIBES AFRICAN DOMESTICITY, AND MANY OTHER THINGS RELATIVE 
THERETO, BESIDES SHOWING THAT ALARM S AND FLIGHTS, SUR- 
PRISES AND FEASTS, ARE NOT CONFINED TO PARTICULAR PLACES. 

When our negro chief — whose name, by the way, 
was Kambira — left the banks of the river, followed 
by his men bearing the hippopotamus-flesh, he set 
off at a swinging pace, like to a man who has a con- 
siderable walk before him. 

The country through which they passed was not 
only well wooded, but well watered by numerous 
rivulets. Their path for some distance tended 
upwards towards the hills, now crossing over 
mounds, anon skirting the. base of precipitous 
rocks, and elsewhere dipping down into hollows ; 
but although thus serpentine in its course, its upward 
tendency never varied until it led them to the highest 
parts of a ridge from which a magnificent prospect 
was had of hill and dale, lake, rivulet, and river, 
extending so far that the distant scenery at the 
horizon appeared of a thin pearly-grey colour, and 
of the same consistency as the clouds with which it 
mingled. 


174 


BLACK IVORY. 


Passing over this ridge, and descending into a 
wide valley which was fertilized and beautified by a 
moderately-sized rivulet, Kambira led his followers 
towards a hamlet which lay close to the stream, 
nestled in a woody hollow, and, like all other Man- 
ganja villages, was surrounded by an impenetrable 
hedge of poisonous euphorbia — a tree which casts 
a deep shade, and renders it difficult for bowmen to 
aim at the people inside. 

In the immediate vicinity of the village the land 
was laid out in little gardens and fields, and in these 
the people — men, women, and children, — were busily 
engaged in hoeing the ground, weeding, planting, or 
gathering the fruits of their labour. 

These same fruits were plentiful, and the people 
sang with joy as they worked. There were large 
crops of maize, millet, beans, and ground-nuts ; also 
patches of yams, rice, pumpkins, cucumbers, cassava, 
sweet potatoes, tobacco, cotton, and hemp, which 
last is also called “bang,” and is smoked by the 
natives as a species of tobacco. 

It was a pleasant sight for Kambira and his men 
to look upon, as they rested for a few minutes on 
the brow of a knoll near a thicket of bramble bushes, 
and gazed down upon their home. Doubtless they 
thought so, for their eyes glistened, so also did their 
teeth when they smilingly commented on the scene 
before them. They did not, indeed, become «nthu- 


BLACK IVORY. 


175 


siastic about scenery, nor did they refer to the 
picturesque grouping of huts and trees, or make any 
allusion whatever to light and shade ; no, their 
thoughts were centred on far higher objects than 
these. They talked of wives and children, and 
hippopotamus flesh ; and their countenances glowed 
— although they were not white — and their strong 
hearts beat hard against their ribs — although they 
were not clothed, and their souls (for we repudiate 
Yoosoofs opinion that they had none), their souls 
appeared to take quiet but powerful interest in their 
belongings. 

It was pleasant, also, for Kambira and his men to 
listen to the sounds that floated up from the valley, 
— sweeter far than the sweetest strains of Mozart 
or Mendelssohn, — the singing of the workers in the 
fields and gardens, mellowed by distance into a soft 
humming tone ; and the hearty laughter that burst 
occasionally from men seated at work on bows, 
arrows, fishing-nets, and such-like gear, on a flat 
green spot under the shade of a huge banyan-tree, 
which, besides being the village workshop, was the 
village reception-hall, where strangers were enter- 
tained on arriving, — also the village green, where 
the people assembled to dance, and sing, and smoke 
“ bang,” to which last they were much addicted, and 
to drink beer made by themselves, of which they 
were remarkably fond, and by means of which they 


176 


BLACK IVORY. 


sometimes got drunk ; — in all which matters the in- 
telligent reader will not fail to observe that they bore 
a marked resemblance to many of the civilized Euro- 
pean nations, except, perhaps, in their greater freedom 
of action, lightness of costume, and colour of skin. 

The merry voices of children, too, were heard, and 
their active little black bodies were seen, while they 
engaged in the play of savages — though not neces- 
sarily in savage play. Some romped, ran after each 
other, caught each other, tickled each other, occa- 
sionally whacked each other — just as our own little 
ones do. Others played at games, of which the skip- 
ping-rope was a decided favourite among the girls, but 
the play of most of the older children consisted in 
imitating the serious work of their parents. The 
girls built little huts, hoed little gardens, made small 
pots of clay, pounded imaginary corn in miniature 
mortars, cooked it over ideal fires, and crammed it 
down the throats of imitation babies ; while the boys 
performed deeds of chivalric daring with reed spears, 
small shields, and tiny bows and arrows, or amused 
themselves in making cattle-pens, and in sculpturing 
cows and crocodiles. Human nature, in short, was 
powerfully developed, without anything particular 
to suggest the idea of “ savage ” life, or to justify the 
opinion of Arabs and half-caste Portuguese that 
black men are all “ cattle.” 

The scene wanted 'Only the spire of a village 


BLACK IVORY. 


177 


church and the tinkle of a Sabbath bell to make it 
perfect. 

But there was a tinkle among the other sounds, 
not unlike a bell, which would have sounded marvel- 
lously familiar to English ears had they been listen- 
ing. This was the ringing of the anvil of the village 
blacksmith. Yes, savage though they were, these 
natives had a blacksmith who wrought in iron, 
almost as deftly, and to the full as vigorously, as 
any British son of Vulcan. The Manganja people 
are an industrious race. Besides cultivating the soil 
extensively, they dig iron-ore out of the hills, and 
each village has its smelting-house, its charcoal- 
burners, its forge with a pair of goatskin bellows, and 
its blacksmith — we might appropriately say, its very 
blacksmith ! Whether the latter would of necessity, 
and as a matter of course, sing bass in church if the 
land were civilized enough to possess a church, re- 
mains to be seen ! At the time we write of, he merely 
hummed to the sound of the hammer, and forged hoes, 
axes, spears, needles, arrow-heads, bracelets, armlets, 
necklets, and .anklets, with surprising dexterity. 

Pity that he could not forge a chain which would 
for ever restrain the murderous hands of the Arabs 
and half-caste Portuguese who for ages have blighted 
his land with their pestilential presence ! 

After contemplating the picture for a time, Kam- 
bira descended the winding path that led to the 
M 


178 


BLACK IVORY. 


village. He had not proceeded far when one of the 
smallest of the children — a creature so rotund that 
his body and limbs were a series of circles and 
ovals, and so black that it seemed an absurdity 
even to think of casting a shadow on him — 
espied the advancing party, uttered a shrill cry of 
delight, and ran towards them. 

His example was followed by a dozen others, who, 
being larger, outran him, and, performing a war- dance 
round the men, possessed themselves by amicable 
theft of pieces of raw meat, with which they hastened 
back to the village. The original discoverer of the 
. party, however, had other ends in view. He toddled 
straight up to Kambira with the outstretched arms 
of a child who knows he will be welcomed. 

Kambira was not demonstrative, but he was hearty. 
Taking the little ball of black butter by the arms, 
he whirled him over his head, and placed him on his 
broad shoulders, with a fat leg on each side of his 
neck, and left him there to look after himself This 
the youngster did by locking his feet together under 
the man’s chin, and fastening his fat fingers in his 
woolly hair, in which position he bore some resem- 
blance to an enormous chignon. 

Thus was he borne crowing to the chief’s- hut, 
from the door of which a very stout elderly woman 
came out to receive them. 

There was no one else in the hut to welcome 


BLACK IVORY. 


179 


them, but Yohama, as the chief styled her, was suffi- 
cient ; she was what some people call “ good com- 
pany.” She bustled about making preparations for 
a feast with a degree of activity that was quite sur- 
prising in one so fat — so very fat — asking questions 
the while with much volubility, making remarks 
to the child, criticising the hippopotamus-meat, or 
commenting on things in general. 

Meanwhile Kambira seated himself in a corner 
and prepared to refresh himself with a pipe of bang 
in the most natural and civilized fashion imaginable ; 
and young Obo — for so Yohama called him — entered 
upon a series of gymnastic exercises with his father 
— for such Kambira was — which partook of the play- 
fulness of the kitten mingled with the eccentricity 
and mischief of the monkey. 

It would have done you good, reader, if you 
possess a spark of sympathy, to have watched these 
two as they played together. The way in which 
Obo assaulted his father, on whose visage mild 
benignity was enthroned, would have surprised you. 
Kambira was a remarkably grave, quiet, and re- 
served man, but that was a matter of no moment 
to Obo, who threatened him in front, skirmished in 
his rear, charged him on the right flank with a reed 
spear, shelled him on the left with sweet potatoes, 
and otherwise harassed him with amazing perse- 
verance and ingenuity. 


180 


BLACK IVORY. 


To this the enemy paid no further attention than 
lay in thrusting out an elbow and raising a knee to 
check an unusually fierce attack, or in giving Obo a 
pat on the back when he came within reach, or 
sending a puff of smoke in his face, as if to taunt 
and encourage him to attempt further deeds of 
daring. 

While this was going on in the chief’s hut, active 
culinary preparations were progressing all over the 
village — the women forsook their hoes and grind- 
ing-mortars, and the looms on which they had been 
weaving cotton cloth, the men laid down various 
implements of industry, and, long ere the sun began 
to descend in the west, the entire tribe was feasting 
with all the gusto, and twenty times the appetite, of 
aldermen. 

During the progress of the feast, a remarkably 
small, wiry old negro, entertained the chief and his 
party with a song, accompanying himself the while 
on a violin — not a European • fiddle, by any means, 
but a native production — with something like a 
small keg, covered with goat-skin, for a body, a 
longish handle, and one string which was played 
with a bow by the “ Spider.” Never having heard 
his name, we give him one in accordance with his 
aspect. 

Talk of European fiddlers ! No Paganini, or any 
other nini that ever astonished the Goths and Vandals 


BLACK IVORY. 


181 


of the north, could hold a candle — -we had- almost 
said a fiddle — to this sable descendant of Ham, who, 
squatted on his hams in the midst of an admiring 
circle, drew forth sounds from his solitary string 
that were more than exquisite, — they were excru- 
ciating. 

The song appeared to he improvised, for it referred 
to objects around, as well as to tilings past, present, 
and to come ; among others, to the fact that slave 
parties attacked villages and carried off the in- 
habitants. 

At such points the minstrel’s voice became low 
and thrilling, while his audience grew suddenly 
earnest, opened their eyes, frowned, and showed 
their teeth ; but as soon as the subject was changed 
the feeling seemed to die away. It was only old 
memories that had been awakened, for no slavers 
had passed through their country 'for some time 
past, though rumours of an attack on a not very 
distant tribe had recently reached and greatly 
alarmed them. 

Thus they passed the afternoon, and when the 
cool of the evening drew on a dance was proposed, 
seconded, and carried unanimously. 

They were about to begin when a man was seen 
running down the path leading to the village at a 
speed which proved him to be the -bearer of tidings. 
In a few minutes he burst into the midst of them 


182 


BLACK IVORY. 


with glaring eyeballs and labouring chest — for he 
had run fast, though not far, and told his news in 
rapid short sentences — to the effect that a band of 
slavers, led by Portuguese, were on their way to the 
valley, within a mile or so of it even while he spoke ; 
that he thought the leader was Marizano ; and that 
they were armed with the loud-sounding guns ! 

The consternation consequent on this news was 
universal, and there was good ground for it, because 
Marizano was a well-known monster of cruelty, and 
his guns had rendered him invincible hitherto 
wherever he went, the native spear and bow being 
utterly useless in the hands of men who, however 
courageous, were shot down before they could come 
within arrow-range of their enemies. 

( It is the -custom of the_ slave-dealers, on going 
into the interior for the purpose of procuring slaves, 
to offer to buy them from such tribes as are disposed 
to selL J This most of the tribes are willing to do. 
Fathers do not, indeed, sell their own children, or 
husbands their wives, from .preference, but chiefs 
and head men are by no means loath to get rid of 
their criminals in this way — their bad stock, as it 
were, of black ivory. They also sell orphans and 
other defenceless ones of their tribes, the usual rate 
of charge being about two or three yards of calico 
for a man, woman, or child. 

But the Arab slave-dealer sometimes finds it diffi- 


BLACK IVORY. 


183 


cult to procure enough of “ cattle” in this way to 
make up a band sufficiently large to start with for 
the coast, because he is certain to lose four out of 
every five, at the lowest estimate , on his journey down. 
The drove, therefore, must be large. In order to 
provide it he sends out parties to buy where they 
can, and to steal when they have the chance. Mean- 
while he takes up his quarters near some tribe, and 
sets about deliberately to produce war. He rubs up 
old sores, foments existing quarrels, lends guns and 
ammunition, suggests causes of dispute, and finally 
gets two tribes to fight. Of course many are 
slaughtered, fearful barbarities and excesses are 
committed, fields are laid waste and villages are 
burnt, but this is a matter of no consequence to our 
Arab. Prisoners are sure to be taken, and he buys 
the prisoners; for the rest, — there are plenty of 
natives in Africa ! 

When all else fails, not being very particular, 
he sends off a party under some thorough-going 
scoundrel, well armed, and with instructions to 
attack and capture wherever they go. 

Ho wonder, then, that the rumoured approach of 
Marizano and his men caused the utmost alarm in 
Kambira’s village, and that the women and children 
were ordered to fly to the bush without delay. This 
they required no second bidding to do, but oh ! it 
was a sad sight to see them do it. The younger 


184 


BLACK IVORY. 


women ran actively, carrying the infants and lead- 
ing the smaller children by the hands, and soon dis- 
appeared ; but it was otherwise with the old people. 
These, men and women, bowed with age, and totter- 
ing as much from terror as decrepitude, hobbled 
along panting as they went, and stumbling over 
every trifling obstruction in their path, being some- 
times obliged to stop and rest though death might be 
the consequence ; and among these there were a few 
stray little creatures barely able to toddle, who had 
probably been forgotten or forsaken by their mothers 
in the panic, yet were of sufficient age to be aware, 
in their own feeble way, that danger of some sort 
was behind them, and that safety lay before. By 
degrees all — young and old, strong and feeble — 
gained the shelter of the bush, and Kambira was 
left with a handful of resolute warriors to check the 
invaders and defend his home. 

Well was it at that time for Kambira and his 
men that the approaching band was not Marizano 
and his robbers. 

When the head of the supposed enemy’s . column 
appeared on the brow of the adjacent hill, the 
Manganja chief fitted an arrow to his bow, and, 
retiring behind a hut, as also did his followers, 
resolved that Marizano should forfeit his life even 
though his own should be the penalty. Very bitter 
were his thoughts, for his tribe had suffered from 


BLACK IVORY. 


185 


tliat villain at a former period, and he longed to rid 
the land of him. 

As he thought thus he looked at his followers 
with an expression of doubt, for he knew too well 
that the Manganja were not a warlike tribe, and 
feared that the few who remained with him might 
forsake him in the hour of need. Indeed, much of 
his own well-known courage was to be attributed 
to the fact, that his mother had belonged to a family 
more or less nearly connected with the Ajawa, who 
are very warlike — too much so, in truth, for it is 
they who, to a large extent, are made use of by the 
slave- dealers to carry on war with the neighbouring 
tribes. Kambira’s men, however, looked resolute, 
though very grave. 

While he was thus meditating vengeance, he ob- 
served that one of the approaching band advanced 
alone without arms, and making signs of peace. 
This surprised him a little, but, dreading treachery, 
he kept under the shelter of a hut until the stranger 
was close to the village ; then, observing that the 
party on the hill had laid down their arms and 
seated themselves on the grass, he advanced, still, 
however, retaining his weapons. 

The stranger was a little man, and appeared timid, 
but seeing that the chief evidently meant no mis- 
chief, and knowing that the guns of his friends had 
him within range, he drew near. 


186 


BLACK IVORY. 


“ Where *come you from?” demanded Kambira. 

To this Antonio — for it was he — replied that his 
party came from the coast ; that they wanted to 
pass through the land to see it, and to find out what 
it produced and what its people had to sell ; that it 
was led by two Englishmen, who belonged to a 
nation that detested slavery — the same nation that 
sent out Dr. Livingstone, who, as everybody knew, 
had passed through that land some years before. 
They were also, he said, countrymen of the men of 
God who had come out to teach the Manganja the 
Truth, who had helped them in their troubles, deli- 
vered them from the slave-traders, and some of 
whom had died in their land. He added that there 
were Manganja men and women in their company. 

The “ men of God” to whom Antonio referred, 
and to whom he had been expressly told by Harold 
Seadrift to refer, were those devoted missionaries 
mentioned in a previous chapter, who, under the 
leadership of the amiable and true-hearted Bishop 
Mackenzie, established a mission among these very 
Manganja hills in the year. 1861. By a rare com- 
bination of Christian love and manly courage under 
very peculiar circumstances, they acquired extra- 
ordinary power and influence over the natives in the 
space of a few months, and laid the foundation of 
what might have been — perhaps may yet be^— true 
Christianity in Central Africa. But the country 


BLACK IVORY. 


187 


was unhappily involved at the time in one of the 
wars created by the Portuguese and Arab slave- 
traders. The region was almost depopulated by 
man -stealers, and by the famine that resulted from 
the culture of the land having been neglected during 
the panic. The good bishop and several of his 
devoted band sank under the combined effects of 
climate and anxiety, and died there, while the en- 
feebled remnant were compelled, sorrowfully, to 
quit the field, to the deep regret of the surviving 
Manganja . 1 

When, therefore, Antonio mentioned Bishop 
Mackenzie and Dr. Livingstone, a gleam of intelli- 
gent interest lit up Kambira's swarthy countenance, 
and he was about to speak, but suddenly checked 
himself, and a stern frown chased the gleam away. 

“ The Manganja/' he said, after a few moments' 
silence, during which poor Antonio eyed him with 
some distrust, “ know well that these men of God 
were not of the same country as the Arab and the 
Portuguese ; that they hated slavery and loved the 
Manganja, and that the graves of some of them are 
with us now ; but we know also that some white 
men are great liars. How am I to make sure that 

^ 1 The Story of the Universities' Mission to Central Africa. By the 

Rev. Henry Rowley. — We can heartily recommend this to the yonng 
—ay, and to the old— as being, next to the Adventures of Williams 
in the South Seas, one of the most interesting records of missionary 
enterprise that we ever read. 


188 


BLACK IVORY. 


you.r leaders are English ? Why did you. not bring 
down the Manganja men and women you say are 
with you ? ” 

“ The women were footsore, and fell behind with 
their men,” answered Antonio, “ and we thought it 
best not to wait for them.” 

“Go,” rejoined Kambira, waving his hand; “if 
you be true men let the Englishmen come to me, 
and also the Manganja, without guns , then I will 
believe you. — Go.” 

The peremptory manner in which this was said 
left no room for reply. Antonio therefore returned 
to his friends, and the chief to his cover. 

On consultation and consideration it was agreed 
that Kambira’s advice should be acted on, “ For,” 
said Disco, removing the pipe with which he had 
been solacing himself during Antonio’s absence, “ we 
can plant our fellers on the knoll here with a blun- 
derbuss each, and arrange a signal so that, if there 
should be anything like foul play, we ’d have nothin’ 
to do but hold aloft a kerche#fV suthin o’ that sort, 
an’ they’d pour a broadside into ’em afore they 
could wink — d ’ee see ? ” 

“Not quite clearly,” replied Harold, smiling, 
“ because some of our fellows can’t take an aim at 
all, much less a good one, so they ’d be as likely to 
shoot us as them.” 

Disco pondered this a little, and shook his head 






BLACK IVORY. 


189 


then shook the ashes out of his pipe, and said that 
on the whole he was willing to risk it, — that they 
“ could not expect to travel through Afriky without 
risking summat.”- ' v 

As Chimbolo with his wife and the rest of the 
party came up at that moment, the case was put 
before him. He at once advised compliance with 
Kambira’s request, saying that the ^presence of him- 
self and his friends would be quite sufficient to put 
the chief’s mind at rest. 

In a few minutes the plan was carried out, and 
Kambira satisfied of the good faith of his visitors. 
Nevertheless he did not at once throw open his 
arms to them. He stood upon his dignity ; asked 
them a good many questions, and answered a good 
many more, addressing himself always to Antonio 
as the spokesman, it being a point of etiquette not 
to address the principal of the party. Then, presents 
were exchanged, in the management of which a 
considerable time was spent. One of the warriors 
having in the meantime been despatched to recall 
the fugitives, these began to pour out of the woods, 
the frail old people and forsaken toddlers being the 
last to return, as they had been the last to fly. 

After this, fires were kindled, fowls were chased, 
caught, slain, plucked, roasted, and boiled ; hippo- 
potamus-flesh was produced, the strangers were in- 
vited to make themselves at home, which they very 


190 


BLACK IVORY. 


soon did. Beer and bang were introduced ; the 
celebrated fiddler was reinstated, the dance, which 
had been so long delayed, was at last fairly begun, 
and, as if to make the picture perfect and felicity 
complete, the moon came out from behind a thick 
cloud, and clothed the valley with a flood of silver 


BLACK IV 011 Y. 


19] 


\ 


CHAPTEE XI. 

REVEALS DISCO’S OPINIONS ABOUT SAVAGES, AND THE SAVAGES' OPINION* 
OP DISCO, AND OTHER WEIGHTY MATTERS. 

As two or three of Harold’s people were not very 
well just at that time, he resolved to remain at 
Kambira’s village for a few days to give them rest, 
and afterwards to push on to the country of his 
friend Chimbolo. 

This arrangement he came to the more readily 
that he was short of provisions, and Kambira told 
him that a particular part of the country near the 
shores of a lake not far distant abounded with game 
of all sorts. 

To Disco Lillihammer he explained his plans next 
day, while that worthy, seated under the shade of a 
banyan-tree, was busily engaged with what he styled 
his “mornin’ dooties” — namely, the filling and smok- 
ing of his cutty-pipe. 

u You see, Disco,” he said, “ it won’t do to knock 
up the men with continuous travel, therefore I shall 
give them a spell of rest here. Kambira tells me 
that there is plenty of game, large and small, to be 


192 


BLACK IVORY. 


had not far off, so that we shall be able to replenish 
our stock of meat, and perchance give the niggers a 
feast such as they have not been accustomed to of 
late, for it is not too much to expect that our rifles 
will do more execution, at all events among lions and 
elephants, than native spears. Besides, I wish to see 
something of the people, who, being what we may 
call pure out-and-out savages — ” 

“ Savages !” interrupted Disco, removing his pipe, 
and pointing with the stem of it to the village on 
an eminence at the outskirts of which they were 
seated ; “ d’ee call them folk savages V* 

Harold looked at the scene before him, and paused 
for a few moments ; and well he might, for not fifty 
yards off the blacksmith was plying his work ener- 
getically, while a lad sat literally between a pair of 
native bellows, one of which he blew with his left 
hand, the other with his right, and, beyond these, 
groups of men and women wrought at their primitive 
looms or tilled their vegetable gardens and patches 
of land. 

“ Savages !” repeated Disco, still pointing to the 
village with the stem of his pipe, and gazing earnestly 
at his companion, “ humph !” 

It is probable that Disco might have said more, 
but he was an accurate judge of the precise moment 
when a pipe is about to go out, and delay will prove 
fatal. He therefore applied himself diligently to 


‘ ; a 

BLACK IVORY. 193 

suck and cherish the dying spark. Having revived 
its powers to such an extent that clouds enveloped 
his visage, and his nose, being red, loomed luridly 
through them, he removed the pipe, and again said 
“ Humph ! They ain’t a bit more savages, sir, than 
you or me is.” 

“ Perhaps not,” replied Harold. “ To say truth, 
it would be difficult to point out any peculiarity 
that justifies the name, except the fact that they 
wear very little clothing, and neither go to school 
nor church.” 

“ They wears no clothin’,” rejoined Disco, “ ’cause 
they don’t need for to do so ; an’ they don’t go to 
church or school, ’cause they hain’t got none to go 
to — that same bein’ not the fault o’ the niggers, but 
o’ them as knows better.” 

“ There ’s truth in what you say, Disco,” returned 
Harold, with a smile, “ but come, you must admit 
that there is something savage in the custom they 
have of wearing these hideous lip-rings.” 

The custom to which he referred is one which 
prevails among several of the tribes of Africa, and is 
indeed so utterly hideous and outrageous that we 
should be justified in refusing to believe it, were we 
not assured of the fact by Dr. Livingstone and other 
missionaries and travellers of unquestionable in- 
tegrity. The ring is worn in the upper lip, not 
hanging from it, but fitted into a hole in it, in such 
N 


194 


BLACK IVORY. 


a manner as to thrust the lip straight and far out 
from the face. As the ring is about the size of an 
ordinary napkin-ring, it may be easily believed that 
time is required for the formation of the deformity. 
At an early age the middle of the upper-lip of a 
girl is pierced close to the nose, and a small pin in- 
troduced to prevent the hole closing up. After it is 
healed the pin is taken out and a larger one forced 
into its place, and so for weeks, months, and years 
the process of increasing the size of the lip goes on, 
until a ring of two inches in diameter can be intro- 
duced. Nearly all the women in these parts use this 
ring, or, as it is called, pelele. Some make them of 
bamboo, others of ivory or tin. When a wearer of 
the pelele smiles, the action of the cheek muscles 
draws the lip tight, which has the effect of raising 
the ring towards the eyebrows, so that the nose is 
seen in the middle of it, and the teeth are exposed, 
a revelation which shows that the latter have been 
chipped to sharp points so as to resemble the teeth 
of a cat or crocodile. 

“No doubt/’ said Disco, in reply to Harold’s 
remark, “ the lip-rings are uncommon ugly, but the 
principle o’ the thing, sir, that’s w’ere it is, the 
principle ain’t no wuss than ear-rings. The savages, 
as we calls ’em, bores holes in their' lips an’ sticks 
rings into ’em. The civilized folk, as we calls our- 
selves, bores holes in their ears an’ sticks rings into 


BLACK IVORY. 


195 


'em. W’ere 's the difference ? that ’s wot I want to 
know.” 

“ There 's not much difference in principle,” said 
Harold, laughing, “ but there is a great difference in 
appearance. Ear-rings hang gracefully; lip-rings 
stick out horribly.” 

“ H’m ! it appears to me that that ’s a matter o’ 
taste, now. Howsoever, I do admit that lip-rings is 
wuss than ear-rings ; moreover it must make kissin’ 
somewhat difficult, not to say onpleasant, but, as I 
said before, so I says again, It ’s all in the principle 
w'ere it lies. W’y, look here, sir, — savages, as we 
call 'em, wear brass rings round their necks, our 
women wear gold and brass chains. The savages 
wear anklets, we wear bracelets. They have no end 
o’ rings on their toes, we have 'em on our fingers. 
Some savages shave their heads, some of us shaves 
our faces. Their women are raither given to clothin’ 
which is too short and too narrer, ours come out in 
toggery far too wide, and so long sometimes, that a 
feller daren’t come within a fathom of 'em astarn 
without runniri’ the risk o' trampin' on, an' carry- 
ing away some o' the canvas. The savage women 
frizzes out their hair into most fantastical shapes, 
till the very monkeys has to hold their sides 
sittin’ in the trees larfin' at ’em — and wot do we do 
in regard to that ? W'y, some of our women puts 
on a mixture o’ hairy pads, an' combs, an' pins, an' 


196 


BLACK IVORY. 


ribbons, an’ flowers, in a bundle about twice tbe size 
o’ their heads, all jumbled together in such a way as 
to defy description ; an’/ if the monkeys was to see 

them , they ’d go off into such fits that they 'd bu st 
altogether an’ the race would become extinct in 
Afriky. No, sir ; it's my opinion that there ain’t no 
such thing as savages— or, if you choose to put it 
the tother way, we ’re all savages together.” 

Disco uttered the last part of his speech with 
intense energy, winding it up with the usual slap 
on the thigh, delivered with unusual fervour, and 

then, becoming aware that the vital spark of the 
cutty had all but fled, he applied himself to its re- 
suscitation, in which occupation he found relief to 
his feelings, and himself formed a brilliant illustra- 
tion of his remarks on savage customs. 

Harold admitted that there was much truth in 
what he said, but* rather inclined to the opinion 
that of the two sets of savages the uncivilized were, 
if anything, the wildest. Disco however, contrary 
to his usual habits, had nailed his colours to the 
mast on that point, and could not haul them down. 
Meanwhile Harold’s opinion was to some extent 
justified by the appearance of a young man, who, 
issuing from the jungle close at hand, advanced to- 
wards them. 

Most of the men at the village displayed a good 
deal of pride, if not taste, in the arrangement of 


BLACK IVORY. 


197 


their hair. Some wore it long and twisted into a 
coil which hung down their backs ; others trained 
and stiffened it in such a way that it took the form 
of buffalo horns, while some allowed it to hang over 
the shoulders in large masses, and many shaved it 
either 'entirely, or partially in definite patterns. But 
the young dandy who now approached outdid all 
others, for he had twisted his hair into innumerable 
little tails, which, being stiffened by fillets of the 
inner bark of a tree, stuck straight out and radiated 
from the head in all directions. His costume other- 
wise was simple enough, consisting merely of a 
small kilt of white calico. He was accompanied by 
Antonio. 

“ We Ve be come from Kambira,” said the inter- 
preter, “ to tell you for come to feast.” 

“ All right,” said Disco, rising ; “ always ready for 
wittles if you only gives us an hour or two between 
times. — I say, Tony” (he had by that time reduced 
the interpreter’s name to this extent), “ ask this feller 
what he means by makin’ sitch a guy of hisself.” 

“ Hims say it look well,” said Antonio, with a 
broad grin. 

“ Looks well — eh ? and ask him why the women 
wear that abominable pelele.” 

When this question was put to the black dandy 
he looked at Disco evidently in surprise at his 
stupidity. " Because it is the fashion,” he said. 


198 


BLACK IVORY. 


“ They wear it for beauty, to be sure ! Men have 
beards and whiskers ; women have none, and what 
kind of creature would woman be without whiskers, 
and without a pelele ? She would have a mouth 
like a man, and no beard ! ” 

The bare idea of such a state of things tickled 
the dandy so much that he went into roars of 
laughter, insomuch that all the radiating tails of 
his head quivered again. The effect of laughter 
and tails together was irresistible. Harold, Disco, 
and Antonio laughed in sympathy, till the tears 
ran down their cheeks, and then returned to the 
village where Kambira and his chief men awaited 
them. 

While enjoying the feast prepared for them, 
Harold communicated his intentions and desires to 
the chief, who was delighted at the prospect of hav- 
ing such powerful allies on a hunting expedition. 

The playful Obo meanwhile was clambering over 
his father’s person like a black monkey. He ap- 
peared to be particularly fond of his father, and as 
love begets love, it is not surprising that Kambira 
was excessively fond of Obo. But Obo, becoming 
obstreperous, received an amicable punch from his 
father, which sent him headlong into a basket of 
boiled hippopotamus. He gave a wild howl of alarm 
as Disco snatched him out of the dish, dripping with 
fat, and set him on his knee. 


BLACK IVORY. 


199 


“There, there, don’t blubber,” said the seaman, 
tenderly wiping off the fat, while the natives, in- 
cluding Kambira, exploded with laughter. “You 
ain’t burnt, are you ? ” 

As Obo could not reply, Disco put his finger into 
the gravy from which the urchin had been rescued, 
and satisfied himself that it was not hot enough to 
have done the child injury. This was also rendered 
apparent by his suddenly ceasing to cry, struggling 
off Disco’s knee, and renewing his assaults on his 
easy-going father. 

Accepting an egg which was offered him by 
Yohama, Harold broke it, and entered into conver- 
sation with Kambira through the medium of 
Antonio. 

“ Is your boy’s mother a — Hollo ! there ’s a chick 
in this egg,” he exclaimed, throwing the offensive 
morsel into the fire. 

Jumbo, who sat near the place where it fell, 
snatched it up, grinned, and putting it into his 
cavernous mouth, swallowed it. 

“ Dem ’s betterer wid chickies,” he said, resuming 
his gravity and his knife and fingers, — forks being 
held by him in light esteem. 

“ Ask him, Antonio, if Obo’s mother is alive,” 
said Harold, trying another egg, which proved to be 
in better condition. 

The interpreter, instead of putting the question 


200 


BLACK IVORY. 


without comment, as was his wont, shook his head, 
looked mysterious, and whispered — 

"No better ask dat. Hims lost him’s wife. The 
slave-hunters cotch her some time ago, and carry 
her off when hims away hunting. Hims awful mad, 
worser dan mad elerphint when hims speak to ’bout 
her.” 

Harold of course dropped the subject at once, 
after remarking that he supposed Yohama was the 
child’s grandmother. 

“ Yis,” said Antonio ; “ she be Kambira’s moder, 
an’ Obo’s gran’moder — bof at once.” 

This fact was, we may almost say, self-evident, 
for Obo’s attentions and favours were distributed 
exclusively between Yohama and Kambira, though 
the latter had unquestionably the larger share. 

During the course of the feast beer was served 
round by the little man who had performed so deftly 
on the violin the previous evening. 

“ Drink,” said Kambira hospitably ; "I am glad 
to see my white brothers here ; drink, it will warm 
your hearts.” 

“ Ay, an’ it won’t make us drunk,” said Disco, 
destroying Jumbo’s peace of mind by winking and 
making a face at him as he raised the calabash to 
his lips. “Here’s long life to you, Kambira, an’ 
death to slavery.” 

There can be no doubt that the chief and his 


BLACK IVORY. 


201 


retainers would have heartily applauded that senti- 
ment if they had understood it, but at the moment 
Antonio was too deeply engaged with another cala- 
bash to take the trouble to translate it. 

The beer, which was pink, and as thick as gruel, 
was indeed too weak to produce intoxication unless 
taken in very large quantities ; nevertheless many 
of the men were so fond of it that they sometimes 
succeeded in taking enough to bring them to the 
condition which we style “ fuddled.” But at that 
time the particular brew was nearly exhausted, so 
that temperance was happily the order of the day. 

Having no hops in those regions, they are 
unable to prevent fermentation, and are therefore 
obliged to drink up a whole brewing as quickly as 
possible after it is made. 

“ Man, why don’t ye wash yer face ? ” said Disco 
to the little fiddler as he replenished his calabash ; 
“ it ’s awful dirty.” 

Jumbo laughed, of course, and the small musician, 
not understanding what was said, followed suit out 
of sympathy. 

“Wash him’s face!” cried Antonio, laughing, 
“him would as soon cut off him’s head. Manganja 
nevair wash. All me ! You laugh if you hear de 
womans ask me yesterday — ‘ Why you wash ? ’ dey 
say, * our men nevair do.* Ho ! ho ! dey looks like 
it too.” 


202 


BLACK IVORY. 


“ I ’m sure that cannot be said of Kambira or any 
of his chief men,” said Harold. 

“Perhaps not,” retorted Antonio, “but some of 
’um nevair wash. Once ’pon a time one man of dis 
tribe foller a party me was with. Hot go way for 
all we tell ’um. We said we shoot ’um. Ho mat- 
ter, hims foller still. At last we say, ‘ You scoun’rel, 
we wash you ! ’ Ho ! how hims run ! Jist like 
zebra wid lion at ’urn’s tail Hevair see ’um after 
dat — nevair more ! ” 

“ Wot a most monstrous ugly feller that is sittin 
opposite Kambira, on the other side o’ the fire — 
the feller with the half-shaved head,” said Disco in 
an undertone to Harold during a temporary partse 
in eating. 

“A well-made man, however/’ replied Harold.- - 
“I say, Disco,” he added, with a peculiar smile, 
“you think yourself rather a good-looking fellow, 
don’t you, now ? ” 

The worthy seaman, who was indeed an excep- 
tionally good-looking tar, modestly replied — 

" Well now, as you have put it so plump I don’t 
mind if I do confess that I ’ve had some wild sus- 
picions o’ that sort now and then.” 

“ Then you may dismiss your suspicions now, for 
I can assure you that you are regarded in this land 
as a very monster of ugliness,” said Harold, laughing. 
“ In the estimation of niggers your garments are 


BLACK IVORY. 


203 


hideous ; your legs they think elephantine, your red 
beard frightful, and your blue eyes savage — savage ! 
think of that.” 

"Well, well,” retorted Disco, "your own eyes are 
as blue as mine, an’ I don’t suppose the niggers 
think more of a yaller beard than a red one.” 

" Too true, Disco ; we are both ill-favoured fellows 
here, whatever we may be elsewhere ; however, as 
we don’t intend to take Manganja wives it won’t 
matter much. But what think you of our plan, 
now that Kambira is ready to fall in with it ? ” 

“ It seems a good one. When do we start ? ” 

" To-morrow,” said Harold. 

" Wery good,” replied Disco, " I ’m agreeable.” 

The morrow came, and with the early light all 
the people turned out to witness the departure of 
the hunters. Scouts had been previously sent out 
in all directions to make sure that no enemies or 
slave-traders were at that time in their immediate 
neighbourhood, and a strong force of the best warriors 
was left to guard the village. 

Of Harold’s band, two half-castes, Jose and Oliveira, 
volunteered to stay in camp with the guard, and 
two, Songolo and Mabruki, the freemen of Quilli- 
mane, remained in the village to recruit their health, 
which had failed. Chimbolo likewise remained, the 
wounds on his back not having healed sufficiently 
to admit of the hard labour of hunting. All the 


204 


BLACK IVORY. 


rest accompanied the hunters, and of these the 
three Makololo men, Jumbo, Zombo, and Masiko, 
were incomparably the best and bravest. Of 
course the volatile Antonio also went, being indis- 
pensable. 

On setting out — each man with his sleeping mat 
on his back and his little wooden pillow hung at his 
neck, — there was a great deal of shouting and ho- 
ho-ing and well-wishing on the part of those who 
remained behind, but above all the noise there 
arose a shrill cry of intense and agonizing despair. 
This proceeded from the small windpipe of little 
Obo, who had not, until the last moment, made the 
appalling discovery that Kambira was going away 
without him ! 

There was something very touching in the cry of 
the urchin, and something which brought vividly to 
the minds of the Englishmen the infantine com- 
munity of their own land. There was the same 
sudden gaze of horror on realizing the true position 
of affairs, — the same sharp shriek and frantic struggle 
to escape from the grasp of those who held him 
back from following his father, — the same loud cry 
of agony on finding that his efforts were vain, and 
then, the wide-open mouth, the close-shut eyes, and 
the awful, prolonged silence — suggestive of fits — 
that betokens the concentration of mind, heart, and 
lungs into that tremendous roar of unutterable sig- 


BLACK IVORY. 


205 


nificance which appears to be the safety-valve of 
the human family, black and white, at that tender 
period of life. 

Poor Obo ! his sobs continued to burst out with 
steam-engine power, and his eyes to pour cataracts 
of tears into Yohama’s sympathetic bosom, long after 
the hunting party had left the hills behind them, 
and advanced into the almost impenetrable jungles 
of the low grounds 


206 


BLACK IVORY. 


CHAPTER XII. 

DESCRIBES A HUNTING EXPEDITION WHICH WAS BOTH EXCITING 
AND SUCCESSFUL. 

Down by the reedy margin of a pretty large lake 
— where wild-fowl innumerable made the air vocal 
with their cries by day, and frogs, in numbers in- 
conceivable, chirped and croaked a lullaby to men 
who slept, and a symphony to beasts that howled 
and growled and prowled at night in bush and 
brake — Kambira pitched his camp. 

He did not, indeed, select the moist level of the 
fever-breeding marshes, but he chose for his tem- 
porary habitation the dry summit of a wooded hill 
which overlooked the lake. 

Here the natives of the neighbourhood said that 
elephants had been lately seen, and buffaloes, zebras, 
etc., were at all times numerous. 

After two long days’ march they had reached 
the spot, and encamped late in the evening. Next 
morning early the business of the expedition began. 
Various parties of natives, armed with bows and 


BLACK IVORY. 


207 


arrows and spears, were sent out in different direc- 
tions, but the principal band was composed of Kam- 
bira and his chief men, with Harold and his party. 

They did not go far before game was found. 
Guinea-fowl were numerous, and those who were 
aimed with bows soon procured a goodly supply of 
these, but our travellers did not waste their energies or 
powder on such small game. Besides these, monkeys 
peeped inquisitively at the hunters from among the 
trees, and myriads of turtle-doves were seen in the 
covers. As they advanced, wild pigs, elands, water- 
bucks, koodoos, and other creatures, were seen in 
herds, and the natives dropped off, or turned aside 
in pursuit of these, so that ere long the band re- 
maining with Kambira was reduced to about forty 
men. 

Coming to a small river in which were a number 
of deep pools and shallows, they saw several hippo- 
potami lying asleep, their bodies nearly all out of 
the water, appearing like masses of black rock in the 
stream. But at the same place they discovered 
fresh traces of elephants and buffaloes, therefore the 
hippopotami were left unmolested, save that Harold 
sent a bullet amongst them, partly to let the natives 
hear the report of his gun, and partly to see how the 
animals would take it. 

They all started to their feet at once, and stared 
around them with looks of stolid surprise that were 


208 


BLACK IVORY. 


almost equal to the looks of the natives, to whom 
fire-arms were little known, except by report. 
Another shot sent the whole herd with a heavy 
plunge into deep water. 

“ It ’s a queer country,” observed Disco when they 
had resumed their march. “ Just look at them there 
lizards with red and blue tails running about among 
the rocks an’ eatin’ up the white ants like one 
o’clock.” 

Disco might have said like twelve o’clock, if num- 
bers would have added to the force of his remark, 
for the little creatures referred to were miraculously 
active in pursuit of their food. 

“ But I s’pose,” continued Disco, “ the niggers 
would think our country a queerer place than this.” 

“ Undoubtedly they would,” replied Harold; “ just 
fancy what would be the feelings of Kambira if he 
were suddenly transported into the heart of London.” 

“ Hallo !” exclaimed Disco, stopping suddenly and 
pointing to one of the men in advance, who had 
crouched and made signals to his friends to halt, 
“ breakers ahead — eh ?” 

“ More likely buffaloes,” whispered Harold, as he 
cocked his rifle and advanced quickly with Kambira, 
who carried a short spear or javelin. 

On reaching an opening in the bushes, a small 
herd of zebras was observed not much more than a 
hundred yards in advance. 


BLACK IVORY. 


209 


“ Will the white man’s gun kill so far ?” asked the 
chief, turning to Antonio. 

The interpreter made no reply, but pointed to 
Harold, who was in the act of taking aim. The loud 
report was followed by the fall of the nearest zebra. 
Disco also fired and wounded another, which hounded 
away in wild alarm with its fellows. 

The natives yelled with delight, and Disco cheered 
in sympathy. 

“ You ’ve. hit him,” said Harold, as he reloaded. 

“ Ay, but I han’t disabled him. Better luck next 
time. I think I took him somewhere on the port 
bow.” 

“ If by that you mean the left shoulder,” returned 
Harold, with a laugh, “ it ’s likely he won’t run far. 
What does Kambira think of the white man’s gun?” 
he added, turning round. 

The tall chief nodded approvingly, and said, with 
a grave countenance — “Good, good; it is good — 
better than this,” shaking his short spear. 

At that moment a small antelope, which had 
been startled and put to flight by some of the other 
bands of hunters, came crashing wildly towards them, 
ignorant of the enemy in its front until within about 
thirty yards. It turned at a sharp angle and 
plunged into the jungle, but the spear which Kam- 
bira had shaken whizzed through the air and pierced 
its heart before it had time to disappear. 

o 


210 


BLACK IVORY. 


“A splendid heave!” cried Disco, with enthusiasm; 
‘ c why, man alive, you ? d make yer fortin’ as a har- 
pooner if ye was to go to the whale-fishin’. — Hallo ! 
there ’s somethin’ else ; w’y, the place is swarmin’. 
It ’s for 'all the world like a zoological gardings let 
loose.” 

As he spoke, the hoofs of a herd of ponderous 
animals were heard, but the rank grass and under- 
wood concealed them entirely from view. The 
whole party rushed to the nearest opening, and were 
just in time to see the tail of an irate buffalo make 
a magnificent flourish in the air as its owner 
plunged into cover. 

There was no further attempt at conversation after 
this. The near presence of large game was too 
exciting, so that merely a word of advice, direction, 
or inquiry, passed as the party advanced rapidly — 
one or two of the most active going before as 
pioneers. 

While Disco was striding along with flashing eyes, 
rifle ready, and head turning from side to side in 
momentary expectation of something bounding 
suddenly out of somewhere, he chanced to cast his 
eyes upwards, and, to his horror, beheld two huge 
serpents coiled together among the branches of a 
tree close to his head. 

Uttering a yell of alarm — for he entertained an 
almost superstitious dread of serpents — he fired 


BLACK IVORY. 


211 


blindly upwards, and dashed to one side so violently 
that he tumbled himself and Harold into a bush of 
wait-a-bit thorns, out of which the laughing natives 
found it difficult to extract them. 

“What is the matter, man?” said Harold some- 
what testily. 

“ Have a care ! look ! Avast ! A bite ’ll be death, 
an’ no mistake !” cried Disco, pointing to the reptiles. 

Harold fired at once and brought them both down, 
and the natives, attacking them with sticks, soon 
killed them. 

“Ho fear,” said Antonio, with a chuckle. “Dem 
not harm nobody, though urns ugly an’ big enough.” 

This was true. They were a couple of pythons, 
and the larger of the two, a female, was ten feet long; 
but the python is a harmless creature. 

While they were talking, smoke was observed to 
rise from an isolated clump of long grass and bushes 
not far from the banks of the river, much to the 
annoyance of Kambira, who feared that the fire 
might spread and scare away the game. It was 
confined, however, to the place where it began, but 
it had the effect of driving out a solitary buffalo that 
had taken refuge in the cover. Jumbo chanced to 
be most directly in front of the infuriated animal 
when it burst out, and to him exclusively it directed 
i its attentions. 

Never since Jumbo was the size of Obo had that 


212 


BLACK IVORY. 


laughter-loving savage used his lithe legs with 
greater energy than on this occasion. An ostrich 
might have envied him as he rushed towards the 
river, into which he sprang headlong when the 
buffalo was barely six feet behind him. 

Of course Harold fired, as well as Disco, and both 
shots told, as also a spear from Kambira, neverthe- 
less the animal turned abruptly on seeing Jumbo 
disappear, and charged furiously up the bank, 
scattering its enemies right and left. Harold fired 
again at little more than fifty yards off, and heard 
the bullet thud as it went in just behind the ‘ 
shoulder, yet, strange to say, it seemed to have no 
other effect than to rouse the brute to greater wrath, 
and two more bullets failed to bring him down. 

This toughness of the buffalo is by no means 
uncommon, but different animals vary much in 
their tenacity of life. Some fall at once to the first 
well-directed shot; others die hard. The animal 
the hunters were now in pursuit of, or rather, which 
was in pursuit of the hunters, seemed to be of the 
latter class. Harold fired another shot from behind 
a tree, having loaded with a shell-bullet, which ex- 
ploded on hitting the creature’s ribs. It fell, much 
to the satisfaction of Disco, of whom it happened to 
be in pursuit at the time. The seaman at once 
stopped and began to reload, and the natives came 
running forward, when Antonio, who had climbed a 


BLACK IVORY. 


213 


tree to be out of harm’s way, slipped down and ran 
with great bravery up to the prostrate animal. 

Just as he reached it the buffalo sprang up with 
the activity of a cat and charged him. Antonio 
turned and ran with such rapidity that his little 
legs became almost invisible, like those of a sparrow 
in a hurry. He gained a tree, and had just time to 
climb into it when the buffalo struck it like a 
battering-ram, hard enough almost to have split 
both head and tree. It paused a few seconds, drew 
back several paces, glared savagely at Antonio, and 
then charged again and again, as if resolved either 
to shake him out of the tree or give itself a splitting 
headache, but another shell from Harold, who could 
hardly take aim for laughing^stretched the huge 
animal dead upon the ground: Altogether, it took 
two shells and five large solid rifle-balls to finish him. 

“ That wos a pretty good spurt,” said Disco, pant- 
ing, as he joined Harold beside the fallen beast. 
“ It ’s well known that a starn chase is a long ’un, 
but this would have been an exception to the rule 
if you hadn’t shot him, sir. He pretty nigh made 
short work o’ me. He was a’most aboard of me w’en 
you fired.” 

“ True,” said Harold ; “ and had that tree not 
grown where it stands, and grown tough, too, I 
suspect he would have made short work of iintonio 
too.” 


214 


BLACK IVORY. 


“ Bali !” said the interpreter, with affected care- 
lessness, “ him was but a slow brute, after all” 

Disco looked at Jumbo, who was none the worse 
of his ducking, and shut his right eye smartly. 
Jumbo opened his cavernous mouth, and exploded 
so violently that his double row of brilliant teeth 
must have been blown out and scattered on the 
ground had they not been miraculously strong. 

“ Come, now,” said Kambira, who had just given 
orders to some of his followers to remain behind 
and look after the carcase, “we go to find ele- 
phants.” 

“ Have we much chance of findin’ them ?” in- 
quired Disco. 

Kambira thought they had, because fresh traces 
had been recently seen in the neighbourhood, where- 
upon Disco said that he would prefer to go after 
lions, but Kambira assured him that these animals 
were not so easy to find, and much more dangerous 
when attacked. Admitting the force o£this, though 
still asserting his preference of lions to elephants, 
the bloodthirsty son of Neptune shouldered his rifle 
and followed his leader. 

While the main party of hunters were thus suc- 
cessfully pushing along, the other bands were not 
idle, though, possessing no fire-arms, they were less 
noisy. In fact their proceedings were altogether of 
the cat— catty. One fellow, as black as a coal, as 


BLACK IVORY. 


215 


lithe as an eel, and as long — according to Disco’s 
standard — as a fathom of pump-water, having come 
upon a herd of buffalo unseen by them, and beine 
armed with a small bow and quiver of arrows, sud- 
denly dropped on all-fours and began to glide through 
the long grass. 

Now there is a particular little bird in those 
regions which calls for special notice here. It is a 
very singular bird, inasmuch as it has constituted 
itself the guardian of the buffalo. It frequently sits 
upon that animal’s back, and, whenever it sees the 
approach of man, or any other danger, it flaps its 
wings and screams' to such an extent, that the 
buffalo rushes off without waiting to inquire or see 
what is the matter ; and the small guardian seems 
to think itself sufficiently rewarded with the pick- 
ings it finds on the back of its fat friend. So vigilant 
is this little creature, that it actually renders the 
approach of the hunter a matter of great difficulty 
in circumstances when, but for it, he might approach 
with ease . 1 

Our wary native was, however, aware of this 
little fellow’s propensities, and took precautions to 
outwit the bird rather than the beast. It may per- 
haps cause some surprise to be told that a small 
bow and arrows were a sufficiently powerful species 
of artillery to bring to bear against such noble game, 

1 See Livingstone’s Zambesi and its Tributaries , p. 209. 


216 


BLACK IVORY. 


but the surprise will vanish when we state that the 
arrows were poisoned. 

Having crawled to within range, the fathom of 
black pump-water suddenly arose and let fly an 
arrow. The missile went deep into the side of a 
majestic bull. The little bird fluttered and screamed 
too late. The bull at once dashed away at full speed, 
starting off the whole herd in alarm. The black 
fathom followed at the top of his speed, and was 
joined by a number of other black fathoms, who 
were quite aware of what had been done. The 
buffaloes were soon out of sight, but the fathoms 
followed the trail with the unerring pertinacity of 
fate. After a long run they came up with the 
stricken bull, which had fallen behind its fellows, 
and waited patiently until the poison took full effect. 
In a short time the animal fell, and the successful 
hunters fell to work upon his carcase with their 
knives. 

Leaving them thus employed, we will return to 
Kambira and his friends. 

They had not gone far when a fine water-buck 
was observed feeding beside a creek. 

Kambira laid his hand on Harold’s shoulder and 
• pointed to it with a smile, which might have been 
interpreted, “Now, then, there’s a chance for you !” 

Harold fired, and the water-buck dropped. 

“ Good,” said Kambira. 


BLACK IVORY. 


217 


“ Hallo !” exclaimed Disco. 

And well he might, for at that moment an enor- 
mous crocodile, which had evidently been watching 
the water-buck, seized and dragged it into the water. 
It was not deep, however, and the wounded animal 
made a desperate plunge, hauled the crocodile several 
yards, and tore itself out of its hideous jaws. It 
then jumped into the stream and was swimming 
across when another crocodile made a dash at it, 
but Harold sent a ball into its ugly head, which 
appeared to make it change its mind. It disap- 
peared, and the water-buck turning, made for the 
bank from which it had started. Just as it reached 
it the vital spark fled — the fine head dropped and 
the body turned over. 

It will be seen from what has been told, that on 
this occasion the rifles did most of the work. The 
natives who followed Harold had nothing to do but 
look on exultingly, glare, dance, show their teeth 
and gums, and secure the game. We cannot, per- 
haps, expect the good-natured reader to follow us 
through all the details of that day's work; but it 
would be unpardonable were we to close the chap- 
ter without referring to the principal event of the 
day, which occurred a couple of hours after the 
shooting of the water-buck. 

It happened thus : — When the hunters began to 
grow tired, and the prospect of falling in with large 


218 


BLACK IVORY. 


^ I 

game became less hopeful, the chief determined to 
return to camp ; but Disco felt so disappointed at 
not having seen an elephant or a lion, that he ex- 
pressed a wish to continue the chase with a small 
select party. Harold laughed at the idea of the 
seaman leading such a party, but offered no objec- 
tion, although he did not care to accompany his 
friend, having, as he said, had enough of it, and 
being desirous of having a long chat with the chief 
in camp. 

“ You see, sir,” said Disco, patting the stock of 
his rifle with his right hand, “ we chance to have 
got, so to speak, into the heart of a shoal o’ big fish, 
an’ there 's no sayin’ how soon they may take it into 
their heads to up anchor, and make sail for other 
grounds. Therefore, says I, blaze away at 'em 
while you 've got the chance.” 

“ But you may have as good a chance to-morrow, 
or next day,” suggested Harold. 

“We ain't sure o’ that, sir. To-morrow, they say, 
never comes,” returned Disco. “It's my ambition 
to let fly a broadside at a lion or a elephant, so I 
means for to go on; an’ wot I says is, Who, wolun- 
teers to sail in company?” 

When the party were given to understand what 
“ wolunteers ” meant, the three Makololo joined 
the tar with alacrity, also the Somali negroes 
Nakoda and Conda, and about a -dozen of the 


BLACK IVORY. \ 


219 


natives, armed with spears. Disco’s own men were 
armed with their guns. Antonio, being necessary to 
Harold, returned to camp ; but this was a matter of 
little importance, as Jumho and his fellow-country- 
men knew enough of English to act as interpreters. 

Every one who has had a few years’ experience of 
life knows the truth of the proverb which asserts 
that “fortune favours the brave.” Its truth was 
exemplified on the present occasion not more than 
an hour after the little band of heroes had set out. 

Disco led the way, as a matter of course, hold- 
ing, as he said, that no nigger could possibly be 
equal to a whitq sailor in the matter of steering, 
whether ashore or afloat. He steered by the sun, 
and directed his course to nowhere in particular, 
being influenced chiefly by the form of the ground 
and the appearance of the jungle. 

Jumbo grinned a good deal at the sententious 
gravity with which the leader delivered his orders, 
and the self-important strides with which he passed 
over the land. He would have grinned still more, 
perhaps have laughed outright, if he had understood 
that the occasional off-hand kicks which Disco 
bestowed on a thick bush here and there, were given 
in the hope that a lion might thereby be set up, as 
one dislodges a rabbit or a hare ! 

At last, on reaching the crest of a mound which 
was comparatively free of underwood. Disco beheld 


220 


BLACK IVORY. 


a sight which caused him to drop on his hands and 
knees as though he had been shot. 

Not more than fifty yards off a herd of cow 
elephants and their calves were seen feeding quietly 
on tall heavy-seeded grass in the plain below. 

“Avast!” said Disco, in a hoarse whisper, at the 
same time crouching behind a bush, and making 
frantic signals to the rest of the party to advance 
with extreme caution. 

“Wat ’um see?” inquired Jumbo in a low 
whisper, creeping up to his excited leader. 

There was no need for a reply. A glance over 
the top of the bush sufficed. 

“ Be quiet as mice now, lads,” said Disco, when 
all the members of his party had crept around him, 
and become aware of the presence of elephants. 
“ Get your guns laid, and if any one of you dares to 
pull a trigger till I give the word, I 'll keelhaul 
him” 

This, or something distantly resembling it, having 
been explained to the men who carried guns, they 
lay down and took aim. 

The noise made by the hunters attracted the 
attention of the ^nearest elephant, and, with true 
motherly instinct, she placed her young one between 
her fore-legs for protection. 

“We fire right in de middel ob de lot ?” inquired 
Zombo hastily. 










\ 


























DISCO MOUNTS GUARD OVER AN ELEPHANT.— Page 221.1- O-'f 






BLACK IVORY. 


221 


“ Not at all,” whispered Disco ; “ let every man 
point at the nearest one — the one that lays broad- 
side on to us, wi’ the little un under her bows. 
Now — ready — present — fire ! ” 

Bang went the seven guns with a degree of pre- 
cision that might have put to shame any corps of 
volunteer i icemen in England ; up went the trunks 
and tails ot ' the elephants, little and big, and away 
rushed the whole herd in dire alarm. But the 
wounded animal suddenly stumbled and fell on its 
knees, then leaped up and ran on heavily. 

Meanwhile Disco, who had discharged only one 
barrel of his heavy gun, leaped over the bushes, and 
rushed forward at a pace which for a few seconds 
enabled him to keep ahead even of the fleet natives. 
The elephants, however, easily left them all behind, 
and it appeared as if the affair were about to end in 
disappointment, when the wounded beast again 
stumbled. 

" Hold on ! halt !” cried Disco in a voice of 
thunder. 

He kneeled at the same time, took aim, and 
fired. 

Whether it was this last shot, or the effects of 
previous loss of blood, we cannot tell; but after 
receiving it, the ponderous animal rolled over on 
its side, and died. 

To say that the natives became temporarily 


222 


BLACK IVOKY. 


insane would give but a feeble idea of what now 
took place, because few readers are likely to be 
aware of the amazing power of the negro to give 
expression to the vagaries of insanity. We shall 
therefore content ourselves by saying that they 
cheered, laughed, howled, shouted, danced, and 
yelled — and leave the rest to imagination. 

“Now, then, boys, avast howlin'. Clap a stopper 
on your bellows, will ’ee ?” said Disco, in a boat- 
swain's roar, that effectually quelled the tumult. 
“ Cut off to camp, every mother’s son of you, an' 
bring up Kambira an' all the boys, with as many 
knives and dishes as ye can muster, for this moun- 
tain of flesh ain't to be cut up in a hurry, an’ the 
sun won’t be long o’ goin’ to bed. Away with ’ee ! 
Let 's see how you can wag yer black legs, an' I ’ll 
keep watch over the carcase. If anything comes to 
have a look at it — a lion, for instance, — so much 
the worse for the lion !” 

It was in vain that Jumbo explained there was 
no necessity for sending more than one of the party 
to the camp. Disco was a strict disciplinarian, and, 
having given the order, enforced it in a manner 
which admitted of no disobedience. They therefore 
departed, leaving the seaman seated on the elephant 
smoking his pipe with his gun beside him. 

But Jumbo did not go far. He soon turned aside 
from his companions, and returned to the scene of 


BLACK IVORY. 


223 


the hunt, resolved if possible to give his leader a 
fright. Gaining the skirts of the jungle which sur- 
rounded the open space where Disco kept watch, he 
crept cautiously as near to him as possible. 

Disco still sat smoking and eyeing the elephant 
with a smile of satisfaction. Presently he rose, — 
retreated a few yards from the carcase, and stood 
admiring it, with his head on one side, as if it were 
a picture and he a connoisseur. He had in this act 
approached somewhat nearer to Jumbo, who saluted 
him with a most awful growL 

Ho monkey in Africa could have dropped its 
pipe, had it been a smoker, or sprung to seize its 
gun, had it been a sportsman, with greater agility 
than did Disco Lillihammer on that trying occasion ! 
Getting on the other side of the dead elephant he 
faced round, cocked both barrels, and prepared to 
receive whatever might come. 

Jumbo, lying very low behind a bank of earth 
for safety, gave another low growl. Disco started 
and half raised his piece. Jumbo then threw a 
large stone towards a neighbouring bush, which it 
struck and caused to rustle. 

This was enough for Disco, who took a quick aim 
and let fly the contents of both barrels into the 
bush. 

Jumbo noiselessly but swiftly crept back into the 
woods, chuckling as he went, leaving Disco to re- 


224 


BLACK IVORY. 


load in wild haste. But his haste was uncalled for. 
There was no more growling ; no more rustling in 
the bushes. 

“ I ’ve done for him,” muttered Disco, after waiting 
patiently at the “ ready ” for some time. “ But it 
won’t do for me to ventur’ up to it all by myself. 
Pr’aps it ’s a lion, an’ they do say that it ’s chancy 
work to go near a wounded lion. To be sure the 
growl wasn’t so loud as I ’d have expected o’ the 
king o’ the forest, but then they don’t always growl 
loud. Anyhow I ’ll keep a bright look-out, an’ wait 
till the niggers return.” 

Philosophizing thus the bold seamam mounted 
guard over the elephant. 

Meanwhile Jumbo, having got out of earshot of 
his friend, indulged in a loud laugh and made after 
his friends, but observing the visage of a small 
yellow-coloured monkey among the leaves over- 
head a thought flashed into his mind and induced 
him to change his plans. 

Throwing his spear dexterously he transfixed the 
monkey and brought it down. Beturning with 
great caution to the bush into which Disco had fired, 
and gliding with the noiseless motion of a snake the 
latter part of the way, he placed the dead monkey 
on the ground and left it there. 

It was by that time too late to overtake his com- 
rades. He therefore waited until they returned, and 


BLACK IVORY. 


225 


then joined tlie party in rear, as though he had 
followed them from thfe camp. 

The same wild exhibition of delight was about 
to be enacted when the party came trooping up, but 
Disco quickly checked it by the astounding an- 
nouncement that he thought he had shot a lion or 
somethin’ o’ that sort ! 

“ You don’t mean it!” said Harold, rather excited. 

“ All I know is,” said Disco, “ that I heerd some- 
thin’ uncommon like a lion growl twice in yonder 
bush, an’ saw the bush move too, so I fired a broad- 
side that seemed to finish him at once, for there was 
no more rustlin’ after that.” 

“ An’ no more growlin’ ? ” asked Jumbo, with 
much simplicity of, countenance. 

“Hot a growl, nor nothin’ else,” answered Disco. 

“Well, get your guns ready, lads,” said Harold, “and 
stand by to fire while we go and search the bush.” 

So saying, Harold and Disco advanced together 
with their rifles ready, while the natives, who were 
more or less alarmed, according to their respective 
degrees of courage, scattered in a semicircle well 
in rear. Kambira, armed with a spear, kept close 
to Harold, and Jumbo, with unwonted bravery, 
walked alongside of Disco. Antonio, quietly retir- 
ing, took refuge in a tree. 

“ Yoo’s sure you hit um? ” inquired Jumbo in a 
whisper. 

I* 


226 


BLACK IVORY. 


“ Can’t say I ’m sure ,” replied Disco, “ but we ’ll 
soon see.” 

“ Was urn’s growl very bad ? ” asked Jumbo. 

“ Hold yer long tongue I ” said Disco testily, for 
he was becoming excited. 

“ Look ! see dere ! ” exclaimed Jumbo in an 
energetic whisper. 

“What? where V* 

“ Look ! right troo de bush. Dis way. Dar, don’ 
you zee urn’s skin, -^-t’other side ? Fire ! ” 

“Why, eh!” exclaimed Disco, peering keenly 
through the leaves, “ yellow hair ! yes — its — ” 

Stopping abruptly he pointed his gun at the bush 
and poured the contents of both barrels into it. 
Then clubbing his weapon and brandishing it in the 
air he uttered a wild cry — went crashing through 
the bush, and next moment stood aghast before the 
yellow monkey, whose little carcase he had almost 
blown to atoms. 

We won’t chronicle the roars of laughter, the yells 
of delight that followed, — the immense amount of 
chaffing, the innumerable witticisms and criticisms 
that ensued — no, no ! regard for the gallant seaman 
constrains us to draw a veil over the scene and leave 
it, as we have left many things before, and shall 
leave many things yet to come, to the reader’s vivid 
imagination. 

Fortunately for Disco, the superior attractions of 


BLACK IVORY. 


227 


the dead elephant soon drew off attention from this 
exploit. The natives proceeded to cut up the huge 
mass of meat, and this was indeed an amazing 
spectacle. At first the men stood round the carcase 
in dead silence, while Kambira delivered a species 
of oration, in which he pointed out minutely the 
particular parts of the animal which were to be 
apportioned to the head-men of the different fires 
of which the camp was composed, — the left hind- 
leg and the parts around the eyes being allotted 
to his English visitors. These points settled, the 
order was given to “ cut up/' and immediately the 
excitement which had been restrained burst forth 
again with tenfold violence. The natives seemed 
to be quite unable to restrain their feelings of de- 
light as they cut away at the carcase with spears 
and knives. They screamed as well as danced with 
glee. Some attacked the head, others the flanks, — 
jumping over the animal or standing on it, the 
better to expedite their operations ; some ever and 
anon ran off screaming with masses of bloody meat, 
threw it on the grass and went back for more, while 
others, after cutting the carcase open, jumped in- 
side and wallowed about in their eagerness to reach 
and cut out the precious fat — all talking and shout- 
ing at the utmost pitch of their voices. 

“ Well, now,” said Disco to Harold, with a grin 
of amusement, “ the likes o’ that I never did see 


228 


BLACK IVORY. 


nowheres. Cuttin’ up a Greenland whale is nothin’ 
to it.” 

“ Come, come,” said Harold, checking his laughter 
and seizing an excited negro by the shoulder, “ no 
fighting allowed.” 

This had reference to two who chanced to have 
taken a fancy for the same mass of meat, and were 
quarrelling so violently over it, that blows seemed 
on the point of following, but having let off part of 
their superabundant energy in words, they rushed 
back to expend the remainder on their dead friend. 

Suddenly a sharp agonized yell was heard inside 
the carcase. Next moment Zombo jumped out, all 
bloody and furious, holding up his right hand. 
While groping about inside, one of his too eager 
comrades outside had laid about rather incautiously 
with his knife, drove it through the meat, and 
sliced Zombo’s left hand. He was easily soothed, 
however ; Harold bound up the cut with a piece of 
rag, and Zombo went to work as recklessly as ever. 

In a marvellously short time tons of meat were 
cut up and divided amongst the band, and before 
daylight had quite disappeared the hunters were on 
their way back to camp, while a troop of hyenas and 
other carnivora were gorging themselves with the 
elephant’s remains. 


BLACK IVORY. 


229 


CHAPTER XIII. 

THE ENCAMPMENT AND THE SUPPER— DISCUSSIONS, POLITICAL AND 
OTHERWISE— KAMBIRA RECEIVES A SHOCK, AND OUR WANDERERS 
ARE THROWN INTO PERPLEXITY. 

Turn we now to a more peaceful scene. The 
camp is almost quiet, the stars are twinkling brightly 
overhead, the fires are glimmering fitfully below. 
The natives, having taken the edge off their appetites, 
have stretched their dusky forms on their sleeping 
mats, and laid their woolly heads on their little 
wooden pillows. The only persons moving are 
Harold Seadrift and Disco Lillihammer — the first 
being busy making notes in a small book, the second 
being equally busy in manufacturing cloudlets from 
his unfailing pipe, gazing the while with much 
interest at his note-making companion. 

“ They was pretty vigorous w’en they wos at it, 
sir,” said Disco, in reference to supper, observing 
that his companion looked up from his book, “ but 
they wos sooner done than I had expected.” 

“ Yes, they weren’t long about it,” replied Harold, 
with an abstracted air, as he resumed his writing. 

Lest the reader should erroneously imagine that 


230 


BLACK IVORY. 


supper is over, it is necessary here to explain what 
taking the edge off a free African’s appetite means. 

On reaching camp after the cutting up of the 
elephant, as detailed in the last chapter, the negroes 
had set to work to roast and boil with a degree of 
vigour that would have surprised even the chefs de 
cuisine of the world’s first-class hotels. Having 
gorged themselves to an extent that civilized people 
might perhaps have thought dangerous, they had 
then commenced an uproarious dance, accompanied 
by stentorian songs, which soon reduced them to the 
condition of beings who needed repose. Proceeding 
upon the principle of overcoming temptation by 
giving way to it, they at once lay down and went to 
sleep. 

It was during this stage of the night’s proceedings 
that Disco foolishly imagined that supper had come 
to a close. Not many minutes after the observation 
was made, and before the black cutty-pipe was 
smoked out, first one and then another of the 
sleepers awoke, and, after a yawn or two, got up to 
rouse the fires and put on the cooking-pots. In less 
than a quarter of an hour the whole camp was astir, 
conversation was rife, and the bubbling of pots that 
had not got time to cool, and the hissing of roasts 
whose fat had not yet hardened, mingled with songs 
whose echoes were still floating in the brains of the 
wild inhabitants of the surrounding jungle. 


BLACK IVORY. 


331 


Boasting, boiling, andeatingwere recommenced with 
as much energy as if the feast had only just begun. 

Kambira, having roused himself, gave orders to 
one of his men, who brought one of the elephant’s 
feet and set about the cooking of it at Harold’s fire. 
Kambira and Disco, with Antonio and Jumbo, sat 
round the same fire. 

There was a hole in the ground close beside them 
which contained a small fire ; the embers of this 
were stirred up and replenished with fuel. When 
the inside was thoroughly heated, the elephant’s foot 
was placed in it and covered over with hot ashes 
and soil, and another fire kindled above the whole. 

Harold, who regarded this proceeding with some 
surprise, said to Kambira — through Antonio — “Who 
are you cooking that for ?” 

“ For my white guests,” replied the chief. 

“ But we have supped already,” said Harold ; “ we 
have already eaten as much as we can hold of the 
elephant’s trunk and tongue, both of which were 
excellent — why prepare more ?” 

“This is not for to-night, but for to-morrow,” 
returned Kambira, with a smile. “ The foot takes 
all night to co©k.” 

This was a sufficient explanation, and in truth 
the nature of the dish required that it should be well 
done. When, on the morrow, they were called to 
partake of it, they found that it was, according to 


232 


BLACK IVORY. 


Disco’s estimation, “ fust-rate !” It was a whitish 
mass, slightly gelatinous and sweet, like marrow, 
and very palatable. Nevertheless, they learned from 
experience that if the effect of bile were to be 
avoided, a long march was necessary after a meal of 
elephant’s foot ! 

Meanwhile the proceedings of the natives were 
food enough for our travellers for the time being. 
Like human creatures elsewhere, they displayed 
great variety of taste. Some preferred boiled meat, 
others roast ; a few indulged in porridge made of 
mapira meal The meal was very good, but the 
porridge was doubtful, owing to the cookery. It 
would appear that in Africa, as in England, woman 
excels in the culinary art. At all events, the mapira 
meal was better managed by them than by the men. 
On the present occasion the hunters tumbled in the 
meal by handfuls in rapid succession as soon as the 
water was hot, until it became too thick to be stirred 
about, then it was lifted off the fire, and one man 
held the pot while another plied the porridge-stick 
with all his might to prevent the solid mass from 
being burnt. Thus it was prepared and thus eaten 
in enormous quantities. No wonder that dancing 
and profuse perspiration were esteemed a necessary 
adjunct to feeding ! 

At the close of the second edition of supper, which 
went into four or five editions before morning, some 


BLACK IVORY. 


233 


of the men at the fire next to that of Kambira en- 
gaged in a debate so furious, that the curiosity of 
Disco and Harold was excited, and they caused 
Antonio to translate much of what was said. It is 
not possible to give a connected account of this de- 
bate as translated by Antonio. To overcome the 
difficulty we shall give the substance of it in what 
Disco styled Antonio’s “ lingo.” 

There were about a dozen natives round the fire, 
but two of them sustained the chief part in the 
debate. One of these was a large man with a flat 
nose ; the other was a small man with a large frizzy 
head. 

“ Hold 'oos tongue,” said Flatnose (so Antonio 
named him) ; “ tongue too long — far !” 

“ Boh ! ’oos brains too short,” retorted Frizzy- 
head contemptuously. 

An immense amount of chattering by the others 
followed these pithy remarks of the principals. 

The question in debate was, Whether the two 
toes of the ostrich represented the thumb and fore- 
finger in man, or the little and ring fingers ? But in 
a few minutes the subject changed gradually, and 
somehow unaccountably, to questions of a political 
nature, — for, strange to say, in savage Africa, as in 
civilized England, politics are keenly discussed, 
doubtless at times with equal wisdom in the one 
land as in the other. 


s 


234 BLACK IVORY. 

“ What dat^oo say?” inquired Flatnose, on hear- 
ing some muttered remarks of Frizzy head in refer- 
ence to the misgovernment of chiefs. Of course 
there, as here, present company was understood to 
be excepted. 

“ Chiefs ob no use — no use at all !” said Frizzy- 
head so vehemently that the men at several of the 
nearest fires ceased to talk, and began to listen. 

“ Ob no use ?” cried Flatnose, with vehemence so 
superior that the attention of the whole camp was 
arrested. 

“ No !” replied Frizzyhead, still more energetically, 
“ ob no use at all. We could govern ourselves 
betterer, so what de use of ’um ? The chief ’urns 
fat an’ hab plenty wife, but we, who do all de hard 
work, hab hunger, an’ only one wife, prehaps none 
at all. Dis is bad, unjust, wrong.” 

There was a general shout of “ eehee !” from all 
quarters, which was equivalent to our u hear, 
hear.” 

“ ’Oo know noting at all,” retorted Flatnose, who 
was a loyal subject. “ Is not de chief de fader of de 
peepil? Can dere be peepil widout a fader — eh? 
God made de chief — who says dat chief is not wise ? 
He is wise, but urn’s child’n am big fools !” 

Kambira nodded his head and smiled at this, and 
there was a general inclination on the part of most 
of the audience to applaud, for there, as elsewhere, 


BLACK IVORY. 


235 


men have a tendency to be blown about by every 
wind of doctrine. 

It was amusing to observe the earnestness and 
freedom with which men of the lowest grade as- 
saulted the opinions of their betters on this occasion. 
Unable at other times, or in any other way, to bring 
themselves into importance, they were glad of the 
opportunity to do so with their tongues, and, like 
their civilized types, they assumed an air of mock 
modesty. 

“ Oh !” cried one of these, in reply to Flatnose, 
“ we is littil infants ; we is still holdm on to de 
boosums ob our moders ; we not able to walk alone j 
we knows notin’ at all ; but on dis point, we knows 
that you old men speak like de ignorint peepil. 
We nebber hear such nonsense — nebber !” 

No notice was taken of this, but Frizzyhead, 
whose passion was rising to white heat in conse- 
quence of the glibness of his opponent’s tongue, 
cried out — g 

« ’Oo cannot prove wat ’ou says?” 

“ Oh yes, can prove it well ’nuff,” replied Flat- 
nose, “ but ’oos no’ got brain for onerstand.” 

This last was too much for poor Frizzyhead, who 
leaped up, stuttered, and cried — 

“ Can ’oo outrun me, then ?” 

« Ye— ye— yes !” gasped Flatnose, springing up. 

Away they went like two hunted springboks, and 


236 


BLACK IVORY. 


ran for a mile, then turned and came hack into 
camp streaming with perspiration, little Frizzyhead 
far ahead of the big man, and rejoicing in the fact 
that he could beat his opponent in a race, if not in 
an argument. Thus was peace restored. Pity that 
civilized arguments cannot be terminated in the 
same way ! 

While these discussions were going on, Disco 
observed that hyenas were occasionally to be seen 
prowling near the verge of the bushes around them, 
as if anxious to join in the feast, which no doubt 
was the case. 

“ Don’t they do mischief sometimes ?” he inquired 
of Antonio. 

“ No ; him a cowardly beast. Him come at mans 
when sleepin’ or dyin’, but not at oder time. ’Oo 
like see me catch um ?” 

“ Why, yes, if ’ee can do it,” answered Disco, with 
a slight look of contempt at his friend, who bore too 
much resemblance in some points to the hyena. 

“ Come here, den.” 

They went together into the jungle a little dis- 
tance, and halted under the branch of a large tree. 
To this Antonio suspended a lump of raw flesh, at 
such a height from the ground that a hyena could 
only reach it by leaping. Directly underneath it 
he planted a short spear in the earth with its point 


BLACK IVORY. 


237 


“ Now, come back to fire,” he said to Disco; t/ou 
soon hear sometin’.” 

Antonio was right. In a short time afterwards a 
sharp yell was heard, and, on running to the trap, 
they found a hyena in its death-agonies. It had 
leaped at the meat, missed it, and had come down 
on the spear and impaled itself. 

“ Well, of all the fellers I ever know’d for dodges,” 
said Disco, on reseating himself at the fire, “ the 
men in these latitudes are the cleverest.” 

By this time dancing wa% going on furiously ; 
therefore, as it would have been impossible to sleep, 
Disco refilled his pipe and amused himself by con- 
templating the intelligent countenance of Kambira, 
who sat smoking bang out of a huge native meer- 
schaum on the other side of the fire. 

“ I wonder,” said Harold, who lay stretched on a 
sleeping-mat, leaning on his right arm and gazing 
contemplatively at the glowing heart of the fire; 
“ I wonder what has become of Yoosoof ?” 

“ Was ’ee thinkin* that he deserved to be shoved 
in there ?” asked Disco, pointing to the fire. 

“ Not exactly,” replied Harold, laughing ; “ but 
I have frequently thought of the scoundrel, and 
wondered where he is and what doing now. I have 
sometimes thought, too, about that girl Azintd, poor 
thing. She — ” 

He paused abruptly and gazed at Kambira with 


238 


BLACK IVORY. 


great surprise, not .unmixed with alarm, for the chief 
had suddenly dropped his pipe and glared at him in 
a manner that cannot be described. Disco observed 
the change also, and was about to speak, when 
Kambira sprang over the fire and seized Harold by 
the arm. 

There was something in the movement, however, 
which forbade the idea of an attack, therefore he lay 
still. 

“ What now, Kambira ?” he said. 

“ Antonio,” cried the chief, in a voice that brought 
the interpreter to his side in a twinkling ; “ what 
name did the white man speak just now ?” 

“ Azint4,” said Harold, rising to a sitting posture. 

Kambira sat down, drew up his knees to his chin, 
and clasped his hands round them. 

“ Tell me all you know about Azinte,” he said in 
a low, firm voice. 

It was evident that the chief was endeavouring 
to restrain some powerful feeling, for his face, black 
though it was, indicated a distinct degree of pallor, 
and his lips were firmly compressed together- 
Harold therefore, much surprised as well as 
interested, related the little he knew about the poor 
girl, — his meeting with her in Yoosoof s hut ; Disco’s 
kindness to her, and her subsequent departure with 
the Arab. 

Kambira safi motionless until he had finished. 


BLACK IVORY. 


239 


“ Do you know -where she is gone ?” he inquired. 

“ No. I know not ; hut she was not in the boat 
with the other slaves when we sailed, from which I 
think it likely that she remained upon the coast. 
— But why do you ask, Kambira, why are you so 
anxious about her V’ 

“ She is my wife,” muttered the chief between his 
teeth ; and as he said so a^frown that was absolutely 
diabolical 'Settled down on his features. 

For some minutes there was a dead silence, for 
both Harold and Disco felt intuitively that to offer 
consolation or hope were out of the question. 

Presently Kambira raised his head, and a smile 
chased the frown away as he said — 

“You have beemkind to Azint4, will you be kind 
to her husband ?” 

“We should be indeed unworthy the name of 
Englishmen if we said no to that,” replied Harold, 
glancing at Disco, who nodd&happroval. 

“ Good. Will you take me with you to the 
shores of the great salt lake ?” said Kambira, in a 
low, pathetic tone, “ will you make me your servant, 
your slave ?” 

“ Most gladly will I take you with me as a - friend ” 
returned Harold. “ I need not ask why you wish to 
go,” he added,—" you go to seek Azint4 ?” 

“Yes,” cried the chief, springing up wildly and 
drawing himself up to his full height, “ I go to seek 


240 


BLACK IVORY. 


Azint6. Ho ! up men ! up ! Ye have feasted 
enough and slept enough for one night. Who knows 
but the slavers may be at our huts while we lie idly 
here ? Up ! Let us go !” 

The ringing tones acted like a magic spell. 
Savage camps are soon pitched and sooner raised. In 
a few minutes the obedient hunters had bundled up 
all their possessions, and in less than a quarter of 
an hour the whole band was tracking its way by 
moonlight through the pathless jungle. 

The pace at which they travelled home was much 
more rapid than that at which they had set out on 
their expedition. Somehow, the vigorous tones in 
which Kambira had given command to break up 
the camp, coupled with his words, roused the idea 
that he must have received information of danger 
threatening the village, and some of the more anxious 
husbands and fathers, unable to restrain themselves, 
left the party altogether and ran back the whole way. 
To their great relief, however, they found on arriving 
that all was quiet. The women were singing and 
at work in the fields, the children shouting at play, 
and the men at their wonted occupation of weaving 
cotton cloth or making nets and bows under the 
banyan-trees. 

Perplexity is not a pleasant condition of existence, 
nevertheless, to perplexity mankind is more or less 
doomed in every period of life and in every mundane 


BLACK IYOKY. 


241 


scene — particularly in the jungles of central Africa, 
as Harold and his friends found out many a time to 
their cost. 

On arriving at the native village, the chief point 
that perplexed our hero there was as to whether he 
should return to the coast at once, or push on further 
into the interior. On the one hand he wished very 
much to see more of the land and its inhabitants ; 
on the other hand, Kambira was painfully anxious 
to proceed ah once to the coast in- search of his lost 
wife, and pressed him to set off without delay. 

The chief was rather an exception in regard to his 
feelings on this point. Most other African potentates 
had several wives, and in the event of losing one of 
them might have found consolation in the others. 
But Kambira had never apparently thought of taking 
another wife after the loss of Azint4, and the only 
comfort he had was in his little boy, who bore a 
strong resemblance, in some points, to the mother. 

But although Harold felt strong sympathy with 
the man, and would have gone a long way out of his 
course to aid him, he could not avoid perceiving 
that the* case was almost, if not altogether, a hopeless 
one. He had no idea to what part of the coast 
Azint<$ had been taken. For all he knew to the 
contrary, she might have been long ago shipped off 
to the northern markets, and probably was, even 
while he talked of her, the inmate of an Arab harem, 
Q 


242 


BLACK IVORY. 


or at all events a piece of* goods — a "chattel” — in 
the absolute possession of an irresponsible master. 
Besides the improbability of Kambira ever hearing 
what had become of his wife, or to what part of the 
earth she had been transported, there was also the 
difficulty of devising any definite course of action for 
the chief himself, because the instant he should 
venture to leave the protection of the Englishmen 
he would be certain to fall into the hands of Arabs 
or Portuguese, and become enslaved. 

Much of this Harold had not the heart to explain 
to him. He dwelt, however, pretty strongly on the 
latter contingency, though without producing much 
effect. Death, the chief replied, he did not fear, 
and slavery could easily be' exchanged for death. 

“ Alas ! not so easily as you think,” said Harold, 
pointing to Chimbolo, whose sad story he had heard ; 
* they will try every kind of torture before they kill 
you.” 

Chimbolo nodded his head, assenting, and ground 
his teeth together fiercely when this was said. 

Still Kambira was unmoved ; he did not care 
what they did to him. Azinte was as life to him, 
and to search for her he would go in spite of every 
consideration. 

Harold prevailed on him, however, to agree to 
wait until he should have spent another month iu 
visiting Chimbolo’s tribe, after which he promised 


BLACK IVORY. 


243 


faithfully to . return and take him along with his 
party to the coast. 

Neither Harold nor Disco was quite at ease in 
his mind after making this arrangement, but they 
both agreed that no other course could be pursued, 
the former saying with a sigh that there was no 
help -for it, and the latter asserting with a grunt 
that the thing “ wos unawoidable.” 

On the following day the journey of exploration 
was resumed. Kambira accompanied his friends a 
few miles on the road, and then bade them farewell. 
On the summit of an elevated ridge the party halted 
and looked back. Kambira’s manly form could be 
seen leaning on his spear. Behind him the little 
village lay embosomed in luxuriant verdure, and 
glowing in the bright sunshine, while songs and 
sounds of industry floated towards them like a 
sweet melody. It was with a feeling of keen regret 
that the travellers turned away, after waving their 
hands in reply to a parting salute from the stalwart 
chief, and, descending to the plain, pushed forward 
into the unknown wilderness beyoud. 


244 


BLACK IVORY. 


CHAPTEK XIV. 

CAMPING, TRAVELLING, SHOOTING, DREAMING, POETIZING, PHILOSO- 
PHIZING, AND SURPRISING IN EQUATORIAL AFRICA. 

At sunset the travellers halted in a peculiarly wild 
spot, and encamped under the shelter of a gigantic 
baobab -tree. 

Two rousing fires were quickly kindled, round 
which the natives busied themselves in preparing 
supper, while their leaders sat down, the one to 
write up his journal, the other to smoke his pipe. 

“ Well, sir,” said Disco, after a few puffs delivered 
with extreme satisfaction, “ you do seem for to enjoy 
writin’. You go at that log of yours every night as 
if it wos yer last will and testament, that ye couldn't 
die happy without exi&ootfn’ an’ signin' it with yer 
blood.” 

“ A better occupation, isn’t it,” replied Harold, 
with a sly glance, “ than to make a- chimney-pot of 
my mouth ? ” 

“ Come, sir,” returned Disco, with a deprecatory 
smile, “ don’t be too hard on a poor feller’s pipe. If 
you can’t enjoy it, that 's no argiment against it.” 


BLACK IVORY. 


245 


\ 

“ How d ’you know I can’t enjoy it ? ” 

“ Wliy ? cos I s’pose you ’d take to it if you did.” 

“ Did you enjoy it when you first began ? ” asked 
Harold. 

“ Well, I can’t ’zactly say as I did.” 

“Well, then, if you didn’t, that proves that it is 
not natural to smoke, and why should I acquire an 
unnatural and useless habit ? ” 

“Useless! why, sir, on’y think of wot you loses 
by not smokin’ — wot a deal of enjoyment ! ” 

“ Well, I am thinking,” replied Harold, affecting 
a look of profound thoughtfulness, “but I can’t 
quite make it out — enjoyment ? let me see. Do I 
not enjoy as good health as you do ? ” 

“ 0, cer’nly, sir, cer’nly. You ’re quite up to the 
mark in that respect.” 

“ Well then, I enjoy my food as well, and can 
eat as much, can’t I ? ” 

“ No doubt of it,” replied Disco, with a grin ; “ I 
was used to be considered raither a dab at wittles, 
but I must say I knocks under to you , sir.” 

“ Very good,” rejoined Harold, laughing ; “ then as 
to sleep, I enjoy sleep quite as soundly as yourself', 
don’t I ? ” 

“ I can’t say as to that,” replied Disco. “ You 
see, sir, as I never opens my eyes arter shuttin’ of 
’em till the bo’s’n pipes all hands ahoy, I’ve no 
means of knowin’ wot you accomplish in that way.” 


246 


BLACK IVORY. 


“ On the whole, then, it seems that I enjoy every- 
thing as much as you do, and — ” 

“ No, not everything ; you don’t enjoy baccy, you 
know. — But please, sir, don’t go for to moralize ; I 
can’t stand it. You ’ll spile my pipe if ye do ! ” 

“Well, I shall* spare you/’ said Harold, “all the 
more that I perceive supper is about — ” 

At that moment Antonio, who had gone down to 
a streamlet which trickled close at hand, gave utter- 
ance to a hideous yell, and came rushing into camp 
with a face that was pea-green from terror. 

“ Ach ! ” he gasped, “ a lion ! queek ! your guns !” 

Every one leaped up and seized his weapon with 
marvellous-alacrity on receiving an alarm so violent 
and unlooked-for. 

“Where away?” inquired Disco, blazing with 
excitement, and ready at a moment’s notice to rush 
into the jungle and fire both barrels at whatever 
should present itself. 

“ No, no, don’ go,” cried Antonio in alarm ; “ be 
cautionous.” 

The interpreter’s caution was enforced by Chim- 
bolo, who laid his hand on Disco’s arm and looked 
at him with such solemnity that he felt it necessary 
to restrain his ardour. 

Meanwhile Antonio with trembling steps led 
Harold to a point in the thicket whence he beheld 
two bright phosphoric-looking objects which his 


BLACK IVORY. 


247 


companion said were the. lion's eyes, adding that 
lion’s eyes always shone in that way. 

Harold threw forward his rifle with the inten- 
tion of taking aim, but „ lowered it quickly, for he 
felt convinced that no lion could possibly have eyes 
so wide apart, unless its head were as large as that 
of an elephant. 

“ Nonsense, Antonio ! ” he said, laughing ; “ that 
cannot be a lion.” 

“ Ho, yis, him’s a lion, for sure,” Antonio returned, 
positively. 

“We shall see.” 

Harold raised his rifle and fired, while Antonio 
turned and.fled, fully expecting the wounded beast to 
spring. Harold himself half looked for some such act, 
and shrank behind a bush by way of precaution, but 
when the smoke cleared away, he saw that the two 
glowing eyes were gazing at him as fixedly as ever. 

“Pooh!” exclaimed Disco, brushing past; “I 
knows wot it is. Many a time I Ve seed ’em in the 
West Injies.” 

Saying which, he went . straight up to the sup- 
posed lion, picked up a couple of glow-worms and 
brought them to the camp-fires, much to the amuse- 
ment of the men, especially of Jumbo, and greatly 
to the 'Confusion of the valorous interpreter, who, 
according to his invariable custom when danger 
threatened, was found to have sought refuge in a tree. 


248 


BLACK IVORY. 


This incident furnished ground for much discus- 
sion and merriment during supper, in which An- 
tonio, being in no wise ashamed of himself, joined 
noisily; and Chimbolo took occasion to reprove 
Disco for his rashness, telling him that it was im- 
possible to kill lions in the jungle during the dark- 
ness of night, and that if they did pay them a visit 
it would be wise to let them be, and trust to the 
camp-fires keeping them at a respectful distance. 
To which Disco retorted that he didn’t believe there 
was any lions in Afriky, for he ’d heard a deal about 
’em an’ travelled far, but had not yet heard the 
sound of their woices, an’, wot was more, didn’t ex - 
pect to. 

Before that night was far advanced, Disco was 
constrained to acknowledge himself in error, for a 
veritable lion did actually prowl down to the camp 
and salute them with a roar which had a wonder- 
fully awe-inspiring > effect on every member of the 
party, especially on those who heard it for the first 
time 4n their lives. 

Just before the arrival of this nocturnal visitor, 
one of the men had been engaged in some poetic 
effusions, which claim preliminary notice here, be- 
cause they were rudely terminated by the lion. 

This man was one of Kambira’s people, and had 
joined the party by permission. He was one of 
those beings who, gifted with something like genius. 


BLACK IVORY. 


249 


or with superior powers of some sort, have sprung 
up in Africa, as elsewhere, no doubt from time im- 
memorial, to dazzle their fellows for a little, and 
then pass away, leaving a trail of tradition behind 
them. The existence there in time past of men of 
mind far in advance of their fellows, as well as of 
heroes whose physical powers were marvellous, may 
be assumed from the fact that some such exist at 
the present time, as well as from tradition. Some 
of these heroes have* excited the admiration of large 
districts by their wisdom, others by their courage or 
their superior dexterity with the spear and how, 
like William Tell and Eobin Hood, hut the memory 
of these must soon have been obliterated for want 
of literature. The man who had joined Harold was 
a poet and a musician. He was an improwisatore, 
composed verses on the incidents that occurred as 
they travelled along, and sang them with an accom- 
paniment on an instrument called the sansa, which 
had nine iron keys and a calabash for a sounding- 
board. 

The poet’s name was Mokompa. With the free 
and easy disposition of his race, he allowed his fancy 
to play round the facts of which he sang, and was 
never at a loss, for, if the right word did not come 
readily, he spun out tha measure with musical sounds 
which meant nothing at all. 

After supper was over, or rather when the- first 


250 


BLACK IVORY. 


interval of repose occurred, Mokompa, who was an 
obliging and hearty little fellow, was called on for a 
song. Nothing loath, he seized his sansa and began 
a ditty, of which the following, given by Antonio, 
may be regarded as a remarkably free, not to say 
easy, translation : — 

mokompa’s song. 

Kambira goes to hunt, 

Yo ho ! 

Him’s spear am nebber blunt, 

Yo ho! 

Him kill de buff ’lo quick. 

An’ lub de porridge thick ; 

Him chase de lion too, 

An’ stick um troo an’ troo. 

De ’potimus as well, 

An’ more dan me can tell, 

Hab down before um fell, 

Yoho! 

De English come to see, 

Yo ho! 

Dat werry good for we, 

Yo ho! 

No* take us ’way for slaves, 

Nor put us in our graves, 

But set de black mans free, 

W’en cotch um on de sea. 

Dem splendid shooters, too, 

We knows what dey can do 
Wid boil an’ roast an’ stew, 

Yo ho! 

One makes urn’s gun go crack, 

Yo ho! 

An elephant on urn’s back, 

Yo ho! 


black ivory. 


251 


De drefful lion roar, 

De gun goes crack once more, 

De bullet fly an’ splits 
One monkey into bits, 

Yo ho! 

De glow-worm next arise, 

De Englishman likewise 
Wid werry much surprise, 

An’ hit um ’tween de eyes, 

“ Hooray ! hooray t” um cries, 

An’ run to fetch urn’s prize — 

Yo ho! 

The last “ Yo ho !” was given with tremendous 
energy, and followed by peals of laughter. 

It was at this point that the veritable lion thought 
proper to join in, which he. did, as we have said, 
with a roar so tremendous that it not only put a 
sudden stop to the music, hut filled the party with 
so much alarm that they sprang to their arms with 
surprising agility. 

Mindful of Chimbolo’s previous warning, neither 
Harold nor Disco sought to advance, but both looked 
at their savage friend for advice. 

How, in some parts of Africa there exists a popu- 
lar belief that the souls of departed chiefs enter into 
lions and render them sacred, and several members 
of Harold Seadrift’s party entertained this notion. 
Chimbolo was one of these. From the sounds of 
growling and rending which issued from the thicket, 
he knew that the lion in question was devouring 
part of their buffalo-meat, which had been hung on 


252 


BLACK IVORY. 


the branch of a neighbouring tree, not, however, 
near enough to the fires to be visible. Believing 
that the beast was a chief in disguise, Chimbolo 
advanced a little towards the place where he was, 
and, much to our traveller’s amusement, gave him a 
good scolding. 

“ You call yourself a chief, do you — eh V* he said 
sternly. “ What kind of a chief can you be, to come 
sneaking about in the dark like this, trying to steal 
our buffalo-meat ! Are you not ashamed of yourself ? 
A pretty chief, truly; you are like the scavenger- 
beetle, and think of yourself only ; you have not the 
heart of a chief. Why don’t you kill your own beef? 
You must have a stone in your chest, and no heart 
at all.” 

“ That ’s werry flowery lingo, but it don’t seem to 
convince him,” said Disco, with a quiet smile, as the 
lion, which had been growling continuously over its 
meal all the time, wound up Chimbolo’s speech with 
another terrific roar. 

At this point another believer in. transmigration 
of souls, a quiet man who seldom volunteered 
remarks on any subject, stepped forward and began 
seriously to expostulate with the lion. 

"It is very wrong of you,” he said, "to' treat 
strangers in this fashion. You might have more re- 
spect for Englishmen who have come to see your 
land, and never did you any harm. We are travel- 


BLACK IVORY. 


253 


ling peaceably through the country ; we never kill 
anybody, and never steal anything ; the buffalo-meat 
is ours, not yours, and it ill becomes a great chief like 
you to be prowling about in the dark, like a hyena, 
trying to steal the meat of strangers. Surely you 
can hunt for yourself — there is plenty of meat in the 
forest/’ 1 

As the lion was equally deaf to this man’s 
reasoning, Harold thought it right to try a more 
persuasive plan. He drew up in a line all the men 
who had guns, and at a word of command they fired 
a volley of balls into the jungle, in the direction 
whence the sounds issued. A dead silence followed, 
but it was deemed advisable not to venture in to see 
the effect, as men had frequently lost their lives by 
so doing. A watch, however, was kept during the 
night, and the fires were well replenished, for they 
knew that the king of the forest usually shrinks 
from doing his evil deeds in the light of a strong 
camp-fire. We say usually— because they are not 
always thus shy. Authentic instances are on record 
of lions having leaped into the centre of a bivouac 
and carried off one of the men in spite of being 
smitten in the face with flaming firebrands. 
Fortunately the lion of which we write thought 
“ discretion the better part of valour.” He retired 
peaceably, nevertheless Disco and his friend con- 

J See Livingstone’s Zambesi and its Tributaries, p. 160. 


254 


BLACK IVORY. 


tinned to dream of him all night so vividly that they 
started up several times and seized their rifles, under 
the impression that he had roared his loudest into 
their very ears, and after each of these occasions 
they crept back into their sleeping bags to re-dream 
of the lion ! 

The “ bag ” which formed each man’s couch was 
made simply of two mats sewed together, and left 
open, not at one of the ends but at one of the sides, 
so that a man could roll out of or into it more easily 
than he could have slid, feet first, into a sack. It 
was large enough also for two to sleep inside together, 
always supposing that the two were of accom- 
modating dispositions ! 

That they had now reached a land which swarmed 
with wild animals was intimated to some extent by 
the running past, within fifty yards of their bivouac, of 
a troop of elephants. It was daybreak at the time, so 
that, having been thus rudely -aroused, they did not 
deem it necessary to return to. rest, but, after taking 
a hasty mouthful of food, set forth on their journey. 

The usual mode of proceeding on the march was 
as follows : — They rose about five o’clock, or soon 
after the appearance of dawn, and swallowed a cup 
of tea, with a bit of biscuit, then some of the men 
folded up the blankets and stowed them away in the 
bags, others tied up the cooking utensils, etc., in 
bundles, and hung them at the ends of carrying- 


BLACK IVORY. 


255 


sticks, which they bore upon their shoulders. The 
process did not take long. They were soon on the 
march, either in single file, if the path were narrow, 
or in groups, according to fancy, where the ground 
admitted of their spreading out. About nine, a 
convenient spot was chosen for a halt to breakfast, 
which meal, although not “ eaten the night before in 
order to save time in the morning,” was at all events 
cooked on the previous evening for the same end, so 
that it only needed warming up. Then the march 
was resumed ; a short rest was allowed in the heat 
of the day, when, of course, Disco had a pipe and 
much sagacious intercourse with his fellows, and 
they finally encamped for the remainder of the day 
and night early in the afternoon. Thus they travelled 
five or six hours at a stretch, and averaged from twelve 
to fifteen miles a day, which is about as much as 
Europeans can stand in a hot climate without being 
oppressed. This Disco called “ taking it easy,” and 
so it was when compared with the custom of some 
travellers, whose chief end would appear to be the 
getting over as much ground as possible in a given 
tim(j, in order that they may afterwards boast of the 
same, and for the accomplishment of which they are 
obliged to abuse and look ferocious at the blacks, 
cock their pistols, and flourish their whips, in a 
manner which is only worthy of, being styled con- 
temptible and cowardly. We need not say that our 


256 


BLACK IVORY. 


friends Harold and Disco had no such propensities. 
They had kindly -consideration for the feelings of 
their “niggers,” coupled with great firmness; became 
very sociable with them, and thus got hearty, willing 
work out of them. But to return from this digression. 

During the day, the number of animals of all sorts 
that were seen was so great as to induce Disco to 
protest, with a slap of his thigh, that the whole 
land, from stem to stern, seemed to him to be one 
prodigious zoological garden — it did, an’ no mistake 
about it. 

Disco was not far wrong. He and Harold having 
started ahead of the party, with Chimbolo as their 
guide, came on a wonderful variety of creatures in 
rapid succession. First, they fell in with some large 
flocks of guinea-fowl, and shot a few for dinner. As 
they advanced, various birds ran across their path, 
and clouds of turtle-doves filled the air with the 
blatter of their wings as they rose above the trees. 
Ducks, geese, and franc.olins helped to swell the 
chorus of sounds. 

When the sun rose and sent a flood of light over 
a wide and richly wooded vale, into which they 
were about to descend, a herd of pallahs stood gazing 
at the travellers in stupid - surprise, and allowed 
them to approach within sixty yards before trot- 
ting leisurely away. These and all -other animals 
were passed unmolested, as the party had sufficient 


BLACK IVORY. 


257 


meat at the time, and Harold made it a point not to 
permit his followers to shoot animals for the mere 
sake of sport, though several of them were uncom- 
monly anxious to do so. Soon afterwards a herd of 
waterbucks were passed, and then a herd of koodoos 
with two or three magnificently-horned bucks 
amongst them, which hurried off to the hillsides on 
seeing the travellers. Antelopes also were seen, 
and buffaloes, grazing beside their path. 

Ere long they came upon a small pond with a 
couple of -elephants standing on its brink, cooling 
their huge sides by drawing water into their trunks 
and throwing it all over themselves. Behind these 
were several herds of zebras and waterbucks, all of 
which took to flight on “ getting the wind ” of man. 
They seemed intuitively to know that he wa3 ail 
enemy. Wild^pigs, also, were common, and troops of 
monkeys, large and small, barked, chattered, grinned, 
and made.faces among the trees. 

After pitching the camp each afternoon, and having 
had a mouthful of biscuit, the two Englishmen were 
in the habit of going off to hunt for the daily supply 
of fresh meat, accompanied by Chimbolo as their 
guide and game-carrier, Antonio as their interpreter, 
and Mokompa as their poet and' jester. They did 
not, indeed, appoint Mokompa to that post of honour, 
but the little worthy took it upon , himself for the 
express purpose of noting the deeds of the white 
R 


258 


BLACK IVORY. 


men in order to throw his black comrades into con- 
vulsions over supper by a poetic recital of the same. 

“ It pleases them, an’ it don’t hurt us,” was Disco’s 
observation on this head. 

On the afternoon, then, of which we write, the 
party of four went out to hunt while the encamp- 
ment was being prepared under the superintendence 
of Jumbo, who had already proved himself to be an 
able manager and cook, as also had his countrymen 
Masiko and Zornbo. 

“What a rich country !” exclaimed Harold, look- 
ing round in admiration from J the top of a small 
hillock on as fine a scene as one could wish to 
behold, “and what a splendid cotton country it 
might be if properly cultivated ! ” 

“So it is,” said Disco, “an’ I shouldn’t wonder if 
there wos lots of gold too, if we only knew where to 
look for it.” 

“ Gold !” exclaimed Antonio, who sat winking 
placidly on the stump of a fallen tree*; “dere be-lots 
ob gold near Zambesi — an’ oder ting too.” 

“ Let ’s hear wot are some of the other things,” 
said Disco. 

“ What are dere ? — oh, let me see : der be coal, lots 
ob coal on Zambesi, any amount ob it, an’ it burn 
fuss-rate, too. Dere be iron-ore, very much, an’ 
indigo, an’ sugar-cane, an’ ivory ; you hab hear an’ 
see yooself about de elephants an’ de cottin, an’ 


BLACK IVORY. 


259 


tobacco . 1 Ob! great plenty ob eberyting ebery where 
in dis yere country, but,” said Antonio, with a shrug 
of his shoulders, no can make noting out ob it on 
account ob de slave-trade.” 

“ Then I ’spose ’ee don’t approve of the slave- 
trade ?” said Disco. 

“No, dat am. true,” replied Antonio ; “de country 
very good for slave-trader, but no good for man like 
me what want to trade proper.” 

“ H’m ! I ’ve more respect for ’ee than I had,” said 
Disco. “ I ’spose you ’ve bin up in these parts be- 
fore now, have ’ee ?” 

“ No, nevair, but I hab sister what marry one 
nigger, one slave, what sold himself, an’ him tell me 
much ’bout it. Hims bin up here many time.” 

“Sold himself!” repeated Harold in surprise. 
“ What do you mean ?” 

“ Mean dat,” returned Antonio. “ Him was a 
black free-man — call him , Chibanti ; him was all 
alone in de world, lose fader, moder, broder, sister, 
wife, eberyting by slave-trader, who steal dem all 
away or murder dem. So Chibanti him say, * What 
de use of be free ?’ So him go to one master, who 
berry good to hims niggers — gib dem plenty to eat 
an’ little to do — an’ sole hisself to him.” 

“ An’ wot did he get for himself V* asked Disco. 

“ Got ninety yard ob cottin cloth.” 

1 See Livingstone's Zambesi and its Tributaries, p. 52. 


260 


BLACK IVORY. 


“ Did he consider himself cheap or dear at that V 
inquired Disco. 

“ Oh, dear — awful dear !” 

“ What has come of him now ?” asked Harold. 

“ Duimo,” answered Antonio. “ After him got de 
cloth, hims master send him to Quillimane wid 
cargo oh ivory, an’ gib him leave to do leetil trade 
on hims own account ; so him bought a man, a 
woman, an’ a boy, for sixty yard ob-cottin, an’ wid 
de rest hired slaves for de voyage down, an' drove a 
mos’ won’erful trade. But long time since me hear 
ob him. P’raps hims good master be dead, an’ him 
go wid de rest of de goods an’ chattels to^a bad 
master, who berry soon make him sorry him sold 
hisself.” 

Pushing forward for several days in the manner 
which we have attempted to describe, our travellers 
passed through many varied scenes, which, however, 
all bore one mark in common, namely, teeming ani- 
mal and vegetable life. Human beings were also 
found to be exceedingly numerous, but not so- uni- 
versally distributed as the others, for, although many 
villages and hamlets were passed, the inhabitants of 
which were all- peacefully inclined and busy in their 
fields, or with their native cotton, iron, and pottery 
manufactures, vast- expanses of rich ground were 
also traversed, which, as far as man was concerned, 
appeared to be absolute solitudes. 


BLACK IVORY. 


261 


Entering upon one of these about noon of a re- 
markably fine day, Harold could not belp remarking 
on tbe strange stillness which pervaded the air. 
No sound was heard from beast, bird, or insect ; no 
village was near, no rippling stream murmured, or 
zephyr stirred the leaves ; in short, it was a scene 
which, from its solitude and profound silence, be- 
came oppressive. 

“ W ’y, sir,” said Disco, whose face was bathed in 
perspiration, “ it do seem to me as if we ’d got to the 
fag-end of the world altogether. There ain’t nothin’ 
nowhere.” 

Harold laughed, and said it looked-like it. But 
Disco was wrong. It was only the .hour when ani- 
mals seem to find a -siesta, indispensable, and vege- 
tables as well as air had followed their example. A 
few minutes sufficed to prove their mistake, for, on 
entering a piece of woodland, a herd of pallahs, and 
another of water-bucks, appeared, standing as quiet 
and still as if they were part of a painted landscape. 
Then, in passing a thick clump of thorns, they could 
see, through openings in the bushes, the dim phan- 
tom-like forms of buffaloes, with heads lowered and 
eyes glaring at them, ready to charge, if need be, 
though too lazy from heat, apparently, to begin the 
fray, and willing to act on the principle of “ let be 
for let be.” Still farther on, a native was observed 
keeping at a respectful distance. He had- seen the 


262 


BLACK IVORY. 


travellers from afar, and had come with noiseless 
tread to get a nearer view. 

Halting to rest the party for a few minutes in a 
shady hollow, Harold threw himself at full length 
on the grass, but Disco, who, strange to say, did not 
feel inclined to smoke at the moment — probably 
because he had only just finished his fifth pipe a few 
minutes previously — sauntered on alone to the top 
of the next ridge. 

He had barely reached the summit when Harold, 
who chanced to be looking after him, observed that 
he crouched suddenly behind a bush, and, after 
gazing steadfastly for a few seconds over the hill, 
turned and ran back, making excessively wild de- 
monstrations with head and arms, but uttering no 
sound. 

Of course the whole party sprang up and ran 
towards the excited mariner, and soon were near 
enough to understand that his violent actions were 
meant to caution them to make no noise. 

“Hush !” he said eagerly, on coming near enough 
to be heard ; “ keep quiet as mice. There ’s a slave- 
gang, or somethin’ uncommon like it, goin’ along on 
right athwart us.” 

Without a word of reply, the whole party hurried 
forward and gained a point of observation behind 
the low bushes which crowned the ridge. 


BLACK IYOKY. 


263 


CHAPTEK XV. 

2HOWS SOME OF THE EFFECTS OF THE SLAVE-TRADE AT THE 
FOUNTAIN-HEAD. 

Down in a gorge, just below the spot where 
Harold Seadrift and his men lay concealed, a strange 
sight met the eyes of the two Englishmen, in regard 
to which, despite all that they had heard and seen, 
and were prepared to see, they were as much 
shocked as if it had never been presented even to 
their imaginations up to that moment. 

It was a gang of slaves winding its way slowly 
but steadily through the gorge. 

The head of the dusky procession was just 
emerging on the open ground beyond the gorge 
when the travellers first came upon it. The slaves 
advanced towards the spot where they lay, passing 
under it so closely that they could see the very 
expressions on the faces of the men, women, and 
children who composed the gang. These expres- 
sions were varied and very terrible. Our travellers 
had now reached the fountain-head whence the 
perennial stream of “ Black Ivory” flows out of 


264 


BLACK IVORY. 


Africa. The process of manufacture, although con- 
siderably advanced, had not yet reached that perfec- 
tion of callous subjection and settled despair which 
had struck our Englishmen so forcibly in the slave- 
market of Zanzibar. There was anxiety not un- 
mingled with faint hope in the faces of some of the 
women ; and a few of the more stalwart and cour- 
ageous among the men wore a fierce, determined 
aspect, which told of manhood not yet absolutely 
prostrated in the dust of abject servility, while, in 
regard to some of the children, surprise at the 
peculiar circumstances of their surroundings had 
not yet been swallowed up in a condition of chronic 
terror. 

They marched in a long line, fastened to each 
other by chains and ropes and heavy “ gorees ” or 
slave-sticks. The latter implements were poles 
from six to seven feet long, with a. fork at the 
end of each, in which the- necks of the men were 
fitted and secured by means of an iron bolt passing 
across the throat, and riveted at both ends. To 
render marching possible with suck encumbrances, 
the men went in couples, one behind the other, so 
that the slave-stick of the leading man could be 
tied to the stick of his fellow behind, which was 
slewed round to the, front for the. purpose. Their 
wrists were also tied, some in front, others behind 
their backs. Secured thus, Hercules himselfimight 















BLACK IVORY. 


265 


have been reduced to obedience, especially if he 
had felt the frequent sting of the cruel lash that 
was laid on these captives, a lash whose power was 
made manifest by the numerous seams and scars 
which crossed and recrossed their backs and limbs. 
The women and children were deemed sufficiently 
secure by being fastened to each other with ropes 
and iron rings round their necks. All were naked, 
with the exception of a little piece of cloth round 
the loins, and some of the women had infants of a 
few weeks old strapped to their backs by means of 
this shred of cloth, while others carried baskets on 
their heads containing meal for the sustenance of 
the party during their journey. 

In advance of the line marched a tall, powerfully- 
built half-caste, armed with a musket and small 
axe, and clad in a loose coat, short drawers reaching 
the knees, and straw hat. He was obviously the 
commander of the band. Behind him came several 
negroes, also armed with muskets, and with thick 
wands for the purpose of flagellation. These wore 
loin-cloths and turbans or red caps, but nothing 
more. They laughed, talked and strutted as they 
went along, forming a marked contrast to the silent 
and depressed slaves. 

At intervals along the line, and in rear, there 
were stationed one or two of these - drivers, who 
urged on their “ cattle ” with more or less 


266 


BLACK IVORY. 


cruelty according to their individual impulses or 
natures. 

We need scarcely say that this sight filled Harold 
and Disco not only with feelings of horror and 
pity, but with sensations of towering indignation 
that almost suffocated them. Those who only read 
of such things at home can form but a faint con- 
ception of what it is actually to behold them. 

“We must fight ! ” muttered Harold between his 
teeth. 

Disco could not speak, but he looked at his com- 
panion and gave a nod that plainly indicated the 
state of his feelings. 

“ ’Sh ! ” hissed Chimbolo, creeping up at that 
moment and laying his hand, which trembled 
violently, on Harold’s shoulder, “ Marizano ! ” 

“ What ! the scoundrel in advance ? ” 

Chimbolo pointed to the leader of the slave gang, 
and almost foamed at the mouth with suppressed 
rage. 

At that moment their attention was attracted to 
a woman who walked immediately behind the 
slavers. She was a young and, according to African 
ideas, a comely girl, but was apparently very weak — 
so weak that she panted and stumbled as she went 
along, a circumstance which was accounted for by 
the little infant tied to 'her back, which could not 
have been more than a couple of weeks old. 


black ivory. 


267 


Stumbling against the fallen branch of a tree she 
fell at last with a low wail to the ground, and 
made no effort, as on previous occasions, to re- 
cover herself. 

The whole gang stopped, and Marizano, turning 
back, pushed the woman with his foot. 

A fine-looking young man, who was the leader 
in a couple secured by a slave-stick, seemed to re- 
gard this woman with a degree of interest that argued 
near relationship. He started forward half involun- 
tarily when the Portuguese half-caste kicked her. 
He had forgotten for an instant his fellow in rear, 
as well as the bar of the goree across his throat, 
which checked him violently ; at the- same time one 
of the drivers who had observed the movement 
laid a supple wand across his bare back so sharply 
as to draw forth a terrific yell of agony. 

This was too much for Disco Lillihammer. 
Unable to restrain himself, he .leaped up, seized 
his rifle by the muzzle with both hands, and 
swinging it round his head rushed upon Marizano 
with a bursting shout of rage and defiance. 

It is probable that the half-caste leader, who 
was by no means destitute of courage, would have 
stood his ground had his assailant been a man of 
colour, but this unexpected apparition of a white 
man with a fiery countenance and blue eyes that 
absolutely flashed as he rushed forward with irre- 


268 


BLACK IVORY. 


sistible fury, was too much for him. Firing hastily, 
and with had aim, Marizano turned and fled into 
the woods, followed by all his men. There was 
however a large band of Ajawa savages in rear, 
armed with bows and poisoned arrows. When he 
encountered these the Portuguese chief halted, and 
rallying his men took shelter behind trees and 
began to fire at the advancing enemy. 

Seeing this, Harold drew his men together and 
made them fire a united -volley, which had the 
effect of utterly routing the slavers. Disco mean- 
while, finding that he could not overtake Marizano, 
at last did what he ought to have, done at first — 
kneeled down, took deliberate aim at him, and 
fired. His agitation prevented - accuracy of aim ; 
nevertheless he succeeded in sending a- bullet 
through the fleshy part of the man’s arm, above 
the elbow, which effectually put him to flight. 

Returning to the .slaves, who had been left 
standing where they were first stopped in a state 
of great surprise and perplexity, he assisted his 
companions in freeing them. This was easy enough 
in regard to the women and children, but the gorees 
on the men were very difficult to remove. Being 
riveted, as we have said, it became necessary to 
split the forks with hatchets, an operation which 
endangered the heads of the poor captives and 
hurt their galled necks considerably. It was nc- 


BLACK IVORY. 


269 


complished however in the midst of a deal of ex- 
citement and hurried conversation, while Jumbo 
and his comrades kindled fires, and Harold bade 
the women cook the meal — which they had hitherto 
carried — for themselves and their children. They 
seemed to consider this too good news to be true, 
but, on being encouraged, began with alacrity. 

“ Don’t be afeared, lass,” cried Disco, patting a 
young woman on the head, “eat as much as ’ee 
like. You need it, poor thing, an’ stuff the childer 
till they can’t hold no more. Bu’st ’em if ’ee can. 
The v slavers won’t come back here in a hurry . ) Ha ! 
I only wish they would, an’ let ’s have a brush with 
’em. But there’s no such luck. Cowards never 
fight 'xcept w’en they ’re sure to win. — Now, picca- 
ninny, here you are,” he said, stuffing some raw 
mapira meal into the open mouth of a thin little 
girl of about six or seven, who was gazing at him 
in open-eyed surprise ; “ don’t put off time, you ’re 
half-starved already I ” 

The little black skeleton began to chew the dry 
meal with evident satisfaction, but without taking 
her eyes off her deliverer. 

“ Who are you V’ asked a somewhat older girl of 
Harold, whom she regarded with looks of reverence 
and wonder. 

Of course Harold did not understand her, but he 
immediately called Antonio, who translated. 


270 


BLACK IYOBY. 


“ Who are you ?” she said ; “ the other people tied 
and starved us, but you cut the ropes and tell us to 
eat ; what sort of people are you ? Where did you 
come from ?” 

To this Harold replied briefly that he was an 
Englishman, who hated slavers and slavery, but he 
said nothing more at that time, as he intended to 
‘have a palaver and explanation with the freed 
captives after their meal was over. 

There was a great clapping of hands among the 
slaves, expressive of gratitude, on hearing that they 
were free. 

About a hundred sat down to that meal, most of 
whom were women and children, and the manner in 
which they devoured the food set before them, told 
eloquently of their previous sufferings. At first they 
timidly held back, scarce venturing to- believe that 
their new captors, as they thought them, were in 
earnest. But when their doubts and fears were 
removed, they attacked the mapira- porridge like 
ravening wolves. Gradually the human element 
began to reappear, in the shape of a comment or a 
smile, and before long the women were chatting 
together, and a few of the stronger among the 
young children were making feeble attempts to 
play. 

When the oldest man of the party, who. appeared 
to be between twenty and thirty, was brought for- 


BLACK IVORY. 


271 


ward and questioned he gave some interesting and 
startling information. 

“ Tell him,” said Harold to Antonio, “ that we are 
Englishmen ; that we belong to the same nation 
as the great white man Dr. Livingstone, who 
travelled through this land some years ago — the 
nation which hates slavery because the Great God 
hates it, and would have all men to be free, to serve 
each other in love, and to do to other people as 
they would have other people do to them. Ask 
him, also, where he comes from, and who captured 
him and his companions.” 

To this the negro replied — 

“ What the white man says may be true, but the 
white men seem to tell lies too much. The men 
who killed our warriors, burned our villages, and 
took our women and children away, came to us 
saying that they were friends ; that they were the 
servants of the same people as the -white man 
Livingstone, and wanted to. trade with us. When 
we believed and trusted them, and were off our 
guard, they fired on us with their guns. We- know 
not what to think or to-believe.” 

Harold was much perplexed by this reply, for he 
knew not what evidence to cite in proof that he, at 
least, was not a deceiver. 

“ Tell him,” he said at length, “ that there are 
false white men as well as true, and that the best 


272 


BLACK IVORY. 


proof I can give him that I am one of the true is, to 
set him and his friends at liberty. They are now as 
free to go where they please as we are.” 

On receiving this assurance the negro retired to 
consult with his friends. Meanwhile Antonio, who 
seemed to have been touched by the unvarying kind- 
ness with which he had been treated by his em- 
ployers, opened his mind to them and gave them a 
good deal of information, of which the substance is 
as follows : — 

At that time the .merchants of the Portuguese 
inland town of Tete, on the Zambesi, were carrying 
on the slave-trade with unusual vigour, for this 
reason, that, they found it difficult to obtain ivory 
except in exchange for slaves. In former years 
they had carried on a trade in ivory with a tribe 
called the Banyai, these Banyai being great elephant- 
hunters, but it happened that they went to war 
with another tribe named the Matabele, who had 
managed to steal from them all their women and 
children. Consequently the forlorn Banyai said to 
the Tete merchants, when they went to- trade with 
them as they had been accustomed to do, “ We do 
not want your merchandise. Bring us women and 
children, and you shall have as much -ivory as you 
wish.” 

These good people of Tete — being chiefly half- 
caste Portuguese, and under Portuguese government, 


BLACK IVOKY. 


273 


♦ 

and claiming, as they do, to be the possessors of 
that region of Africa — are so utterly incapable of 
holding their own, that they are under the necessity 
of paying tribute to a tribe of savages who come 
down annually to Tete to receive it, and who, 
but for that tribute, would, as they easily could, 
expel them from the land. These merchants of 
Tete, moreover, in common with all the Portuguese 
in Africa, are by the laws of Portugal prohibited 
from engaging in the export slave-trade. They are 
not, however, forbidden to engage temporarily in 
the “ domestic slave-trade,” hence they had sent out 
slaving parties — in other words, robbers, kidnappers, 
murderers — who hired the war-like Ajawa tribe to 
aidvthem in killing the Manganja men and robbing 
them of their wives and little ones, by which means 
they were enabled to supply the demand for such 
“ cattle ” among the Panyai, and thus obtained the 
desired supply of/ ivory ! So vigorously had this 
slave traffic been carried on, at the time of which 
we write, that no fewer than two hundred people — 
mostly women and children — were carried out of 
the hill-country every week . 1 

In a short time the negro returned to the place 
where Harold and Disco were seated, and said that 
he believed his white deliverers were true men, but 
added that he and his people had no home to go to ; 

1 See The Universities' Mission to Central Africa , p. 112. 


274 


BLACK IVORY. 


their village having been burnt, and all the old 
people and warriors killed or dispersed by Marizano, 
who was a terribly cruel man. In proof of this 
assertion he said that, only the day before, Marizano 
had shot two of the women for attempting to untie 
their thongs ; a man had been killed with an axe 
because he had broken down with fatigue; and a 
woman had her infant’s brains dashed out because 
she was unable to carry it as well as the load assigned 
to her. 

“ It is difficult to decide what one should do in 
these circumstances,” said Harold to Disco. “ You 
know it would never do to leave these helpless people 
here to starve ; but if we take them on with us our 
progress will be uncommonly slow.” 

“ We ’d better take ’em back,” said Disco. 

“ Back ! Where to ?” 

“ W’y, to the last village wot we passed through. 
It ain’t more than a day’s march, an’ I ’m sure the 
old feller as is capting of it would take care o’ the 
lot.” 

“ There is good advice in that, yet I grudge to go 
back,” said Harold ; “ if there were a village the same 
distance in advance, I would rather take them on.” 

“ But there ain’t,” returned Disco. “ Hallo ! I 
say, wot ’s wrong with Tony i” 

The interpreter came forward with a look of much 
excitement as he spoke. 


BLACK IVORY. 


275 


“ What now, Antonio ?” 

“ Oh ! it ’s drefful,” replied the interpreter. “ Dey 
•tells me have hear Marizano speak ob anoder slav- 
ing party what go straight to Kambira’s village for 
attack it.” 

“ Who told you that? Are they sure?” asked 
Harold hastily. 

“ Two, t’ree mans tole me,” replied Antonio. “ All 
say same ting. Too late to help him now, me’s 
’fraid.” 

“ Never say too late,” cried Disco, starting up ; 

* never say die while there ’s a shot in the locker. 
It may be time enough yet if we only look sharp. 

I votes that we leave nearly all the provisions 
we have with these poor critters here ; up anchor, 
’bout ship, clap on all sail, and away this vfeirf' 
minit.” 

Harold agreed with this advice heartily, and at 
once acted on it. The arrangements were quickly 
made, the provisions distributed, an explanation 
made, and in less than an hour the travellers were 
retracing their steps in hot haste. 

By taking a straight line and making forced 
marches, they arrived in sight of the ridge where 
they had last seen Kambira, on the evening of the 
third day. As they drew near Harold pushed im- 
patiently forward, and, outrunning his companions, 
was first to reach the summit. Disco’s heart sank 


276 


BLACK IVORY. 


within him, for he observed that his companion 
stood still, bowed his head, and covered his face 
with both hands. He soon joined him, and a groan 
burst from the seaman’s breast when he saw dense 
volumes of smoke rising above the spot where the 
village had so recently lain a picture of peaceful 
beauty. 

Even their followers, accustomed though they were 
to scenes and deeds of violence and cruelty, could 
not witness the grief of the Englishmen unmoved. 

“ P’raps,” said Disco, in a husky voice, “ there ’s 
some of ’em left alive, hidin’ in the bushes.” 

“ It may be so,” replied Harold, as he descended 
the slope with rapid strides. “ God help them !” 

A few minutes sufficed to. bring them to the 
scene of ruin, but the devastation caused by the fire 
was so great that they had difficulty in recognising 
the different spots where the huts had stood. Kam- 
bira’s hut was, however, easily found, as it stood on 
a rising ground. There the fight with the slavers 
had evidently been fiercest, for around it lay the 
charred and mutilated remains of many human 
bodies. Some of these were so far distinguishable 
that it could be told whether they belonged to man, 
woman, or child. 

“ Look here !” said Disco, in a deep, stern voice, 
as he pointed to an object on the ground not far 
from the hut. 


BLACK IVORY. 


277 


It was the form of a woman who had been 
savagely mangled by her murderers. The upturned 
and distorted face proved it to he Yohama, the grand- 
mother of little Obo. Near to her lay the body of 
a grey-haired negro, who might, to judge from his 
position, have fallen in attempting to defend her. 

“ Oh ! if the people of England only saw this 
sight !” said Harold, in a low tone ; “ if they only 
believed in and realized this fact, there would be 
one universal and indignant shout of ‘ No toleration 
of slavery anywhere throughout the world !’ ” 

“ Look closely for Kambira or his son,” he added, 
turning to his men. 

A careful search among the sickening remains 
was accordingly made, but without any discovery 
worth noting being made, after which they searched 
the surrounding thickets. Here sad evidence of the 
poor fugitives having been closely pursued was 
found in the dead bodies of many of the old men 
and women, and of the very young children and 
infants; also the bodies of a few of the warriors. 
All these had been speared, chiefly through the 
back. Still they were unsuccessful in finding the 
bodies of the chief or his little boy. 

“ It ’s plain,” said Disco, “ that they have either 
escaped or been took prisoners.” 

“ Here is some one not quite dead,” said Harold 
- — “ Ah ! poor fellow I” 


278 


BLACK IVORY. 


He raised the unfortunate man's head on his 
knee, and recognised the features of the little man 
who had entertained them with his tunes on the 
native violin. 

It was in vain that Antonio tried to gain his 
attention while Disco moistened his lips with water. 
He had been pierced in the chest with an arrow. 
Once only he opened his eyes, and a faint smile 
played on his lips as if he recognised friends, but it 
faded quickly and left the poor musician a corpse. 

Leaving, with heavy hearts, the spot where they 
had spent such pleasant days and nights, enjoying 
the hospitality of Kambira and his tribe, our travel- 
lers began to retrace their steps to the place where 
they had left the rescued- slaves, but that night the 
strong frame of Disco Lillihammer succumbed to 
the influence of climate. He was suddenly stricken 
with African fever, and in a few hours became as 
helpless as a little child. 

In this extremity Harold found it necessary to 
encamp. He selected the highest and healthiest 
spot in the neighbourhood, caused his followers to 
build a rude but comparatively comfortable hut, and 
set himself diligently to hunt for. and to tend, his 
sick friend. 


I 


BLACK IVORY. 279 


CHAPTER XVI. 

TREATS 01 LOVE, HATRED, AND SORROW, AND PROVES THAT SLAVERY 
AND m CONSEQUENCES ARE NOT CONFINED TO BLACK MEN AND 
WOMEN. 

We must now change the scene to the garden of 
that excellent Governor, Senhor Francisco Alfonso 
Toledo Bignoso Letotti, and the date to three months’ 
in advance of the period in which occurred the events 
related in the last chapter. 

“Maraquita, I am sorry to find that you still 
persist in encouraging that morbid regret for the 
loss of one who cannot now be recovered.” 

Thus spoke the Governor, in tones that were un- 
usually petulant for one who idolized his child. 

“ Father, why did you sell her without saying a 
word to me about your intention ? It was very* very, 
very unkind— indeed it was.” 

Poor Maraquita’s eyes were already red and 
swollen with much weeping, nevertheless she pro- 
ceeded to increase the redness and the swelling by a 
renewed burst of passionate distress. 

The worthy Governor found it difficult to frame a 
reply or to administer suitable consolation, for in 
his heart he knew that he had sold Azinte, as it were 


280 


BLACK IVORY. 


surreptitiously, to Marizano for an unusually large 
sum of money at a time when his daughter was 
absent on a visit to a friend. The noted Portuguese 
kidnapper, murderer, rebel, and trader in black ivory, 
having recovered from his wound, had returned to 
the town, and, being well aware of Azintd's market 
value, as a rare and remarkably beautiful piece of 
ivory of extra-superfine quality, had threatened, as 
well as tempted, Governor Letotti beyond his powers 
of resistance. Marizano did not want the girl as 
his own slave. He wanted dollars, and, therefore, 
destined her for the markets of Arabia or Persia, 
where the smooth-tongued and yellow-skinned -in- 
habitants hold that robbery, violence, and cruelty 
such as would make the flesh of civilized people 
creep, although horrible vices in themselves, are, 
nevertheless, quite justifiable when covered by the 
sanction of that miraculous talisman called a 
“ domestic institution .” 1 

Governor Letotti’s heart had smitten him at first, 
for he really was an amiable man, and felt kindly 
disposed to humanity at large, slaves included. Un- 
fortunately the same kindliness was concentrated 
with tenfold power on himself, so that, when self- 
interest came into play the amiable man became 

1 The British Government had, by treaty, agreed to respect slavery 
in the dominions of the Sultan of Zanzibar, as a domestic institution 
with which it would not interfere ! 


BLACK IVORY. 


281 


capable of deeds that Marizano himself might have 
been proud of. The only difference, in fact, between 
the two was that the Governor, like the drunkard, 
often felt ashamed of himself, and sometimes wished 
that he were a better man, while the man-stealer 
gloried in his deeds, and had neither wish nor in- 
tention to improve. 

“ Maraquita,” said Senhor Letotti, still somewhat 
petulantly, though with more of remonstrance in 
his tone, “ how can you speak so foolishly ? It was 
out of my power, you know, to speak to you when 
you were absent about what I intended to do. 
Besides, I was at the time very much in need of 
some ready money, for, although I am rich enough, 
there are times when most of my capital is what 
business men called ‘ locked up/ and therefore not 
immediately available. In these circumstances, 
Marizano came to me with a very tempting offer. 
But there are plenty of good-looking, amiable, affec- 
tionate girls in Africa. I can easily buy you another 
slave quite as good as Azint4.” 

“ As good as Azint4 ! ” echoed Maraquita wildly, 
starting up and gazing at her father with eyes that 
flashed through her tears, “ Azinte, who has opened 
her heart to me — her bursting, bleeding heart — and 
told me all her former joys and all her present woes, 
and who loves me as she loves — ay, better than she 
loves — her own soul, merely because I dropped a few 


282 


BLACK IVOR!. 


tears of sympathy on her little hand ! Another as 
good as Azinte !” she cried with increasing vehemence; 
“would you listen with patience to any one who 
should talk to you of another as good as Maraquita ? ” 

“ Nay, hut,” remonstrated the Governor, “ you are 
now raving ; your feelings towards Azint4 cannot he 
compared with my love for you ” 

“ If you loved me as I thought you did, you would 
not — you could not — have thus taken from me my 
darling little maid. Oh! shame, shame on you, 
father — ” 

She could say no more, but rushed from the room 
to fling herself down and sob out her feelings in the 
privacy of her own chamber, where she was sought 
out by the black cook, who had overheard some of 
the conversation, and was a sympathetic soul. But 
that amiable domestic happened to be inopportunely 
officious; she instantly fled from the chamber, fol- 
lowed by the neatest pair of little slippers imaginable, 
which hit her on the back of her woolly head, — for 
Maraquita, like other spoilt children, had made up 
her mind not to be comforted. 

Meanwhile the Governor paced the floor of his 
drawing-room with uneasy feelings, which, how- 
ever, were suddenly put to flight by the report of a 
gun. Hastening to the window, he saw that the 
shot had been fired by a war-steamer which was 
entering the bay. 


BLACK IVORY. 


283 


“ Ha ! the * Firefly ; * good ! ” exclaimed the 
Governor, with a gratified look ; “ this will put it 
all right.” 

He said nothing more, but left the room hastily. 
It may however be as well to explain that his 
remark had reference to the mutual affection which 
he was well aware existed between his daughter and 
the gallant Lieutenant Lindsay. He had not, indeed, 
the most remote intention of permitting Maraquita 
to wed the penniless officer, but he had no objection 
whatever to their flirting as much as they pleased ; 
and he readily perceived that nothing would be 
more likely to take the Senhorina’s thoughts off her 
lost maid than the presence of her lover. 

There was a bower in a secluded corner of the 
Governor Letotti’s garden, a very charming bower 
indeed, in which Lieutenant Lindsay had been wont, 
at times when duty to the Queen of England per- 
mitted, to hold sweet converse with the “ queen of 
his soul.” What that converse was it neither be- 
comes us to say nor the reader to inquire. Perhaps 
it had reference to astronomy, perchance to domestic 
economy. At all events it was always eminently 
satisfactory to both parties engaged, save when the 
Senhorina indulged in a little touch of waywardness, 
and sent the poor officer back to his ship with a 
heavy heart, for the express purpose of teaching him 
the extent of her power and the value of her favour. 


284 


BLACK IVORY. 


She overdo tided him now and then, just to make 
him the more ardently long for sunshine, and to 
convince him that in the highest sense of the word 
he was a slave ! 

To this bower, then, the Senhorina returned with a 
sad heart and swollen eyes, to indulge in vain re- 
grets. Her sorrows had overwhelmed her to such 
an extent that she failed to observe the 4 Firefly's * 
salute. It was therefore with a look of genuine sur- 
prise and agitation that she suddenly beheld Lieu- 
tenant Lindsay, who had availed himself of the first 
free moment, striding up the little path that led to 
the bower. 

“ Maraquita ! ” he exclaimed, looking in amaze- 
ment at the countenance of his lady-love, which was 
what Horsemen style “ begrutten.” 

But Maraquita was in no mood to be driven out 
of her humour, even by her lover. 

“ I am miserable," she said with vehemence, 
clenching one of her little fists as though she 
meditated an assault on the lieutenant, — “ utterly, 
absolutely, inconsolably miserable.” 

If Lindsay had entertained any doubt regarding 
the truth of her assertion, it would have been dis- 
pelled by her subsequent conduct, for she buried her 
face in a handkerchief and burst into tears. 

“ Beloved, adorable, tender, delicious Maraquita,” 
were words which leapt into the lieutenant’s 


I 


BLACK IVORY. 


285 


mind, but he dare not utter them with his lips. 
Neither did he venture to clasp Maraquita’s waist 
with his left arm, lay her pretty little head on 
his breast and smooth her luxuriant hair with his 
right hand, though he felt almost irresistibly tempted 
so to do — entirely from feelings of pity, of course, 
— for the Senhorina had hitherto permitted no 
familiarities beyond a gentle pressure of the hand 
on meeting and at parting. 

It is unnecessary to repeat all that the bashful 
though ardent man of war said to Maraquita, or 
all that Maraquita said to the man of war ; how, 
ignoring the celestial orbs and domestic economy, she 
launched out into a rhapsodical panegyric of Azinte ; 
told how the poor slave had unburdened her heart 
to her about her handsome young husband and 
her darling little boy in the far-off interior, from 
whom she had been rudely tom, and whom she 
never expected to see again; and how she, Mara- 
quita, had tried to console Azintd by telling her 
that there was a heaven where good people might 
hope to meet again, even though they never met 
on earth, and a great deal more besides, to all of 
which the earnest lieutenant sought to find words 
wherewith to express his pity and sympathy, but 
found them not, though he was at no loss to find 
words to tell the queen of his soul that, in the 
peculiar circumstances of the case, and all things 


286 


BLACK IVORY. 


considered, his love for her (Maraquita) was ten- 
fold more intense than it had ever been before ! 

“ Foolish boy,” said the Senhorina, smiling through 
her tears, “ what is the use of telling me that ? Can 
it do any good to Azintd ?” 

“ Not much, I ’m afraid,” replied the lieutenant. 

“ Well, then, don’t talk nonsense, but tell me what 
I am to do to recover my little maid.” 

“ It is impossible for me to advise,” said the 
lieutenant, with a perplexed look. 

“ But you must advise,” said Maraquita, with great 
decision. 

“ Well, I will try. How long is it since Azint4 
was taken away from you ?” 

“ About two weeks.” 

“ You say that Marizano was tne purchaser. Do 
you know to what part of the coast he intended to 
convey her ?” 

“How should I know? I have only just heard 
of the matter from my father.” 

“ Well then, you must try to find out from your 
father all that he knows about Marizano and his 
movements. That is the first step. After that I 
will consider what can be done.” 

“Yes, Senhor,” said Maraquita, rising- suddenly, 
“ you must consider quickly, and you must act at 
once, for you must not come here again until you 
bring me news of AzintA’ 


BLACK IVORY. 


287 


Poor Lindsay, who knew enough of the girl’s 
character to believe her to be thoroughly in earnest, 
protested solemnly that he would do his utmost. 

All that Maraquita could ascertain from her 
father was, that Marizano meant to proceed to 
Kilwa, the great slave-depot of the coast, there to 
collect a large cargo of slaves and proceed with them 
to Arabia, whenever he had reason to believe that 
the British cruisers were out of the way. This 
was not much to go upon, but the Senhorina was 
as unreasonable as were the Egyptians of old, 
when they insisted on the Israelites making bricks 
without straw. 

He was unexpectedly helped out of his dilemma 
by Captain Bomer, who called him into his cabin 
that same evening, told him that he had obtained 
information of the movements of slavers which 
induced him to think it might be worth while to 
watch the coast to the northward of Cape Delgado, 
and bade him prepare for a cruise in charge of the 
cutter, adding that the steamer would soon follow 
and keep them in view. 

With a lightened heart Lindsay went off to prepare, 
and late that night the cutter quietly pulled away 
from the ‘ Firefly’s ’ side, with a well-armed crew, 
and provisioned for a short cruise. 

Their object was to proceed as stealthily as possible 
along the coast, therefore they kept inside of islands 


288 


BLACK IVORY. 


as much as possible, and cruised about a good deal 
at nights, always sleeping on board the boat, as the 
low-lying coast was very unhealthy, but landing 
occasionally to obtain water and to take a survey of 
the sea from convenient heights. 

Early one morning as they were sailing with a 
very light breeze, between two small islands, a vessel 
was seen looming through the haze, not far from 
shore. 

Jackson, one of the men, who has been introduced 
to the reader at an earlier part of this narrative, was 
the first to observe the strangers. 

“ It’s a brig,” he said; “ I can make out her royals.” 

“ No, it ’s a barque,” said the coxswain. 

A little midshipman, named Midgley, differed 
from both, and said it was a large dhow, for he 
could make out the top of its lateen saiL 

“ Whatever it is, we 'll give chase,” said Lindsay, 
ordering the men to put out the oars and give way, 
the sail being of little use. 

In a few minutes the haze cleared sufficiently to 
prove that Midgley was right. At the same time it 
revealed to those on board the dhow that they were 
being chased by the boat of a man-of-war. The 
little wind that blew at the time was insufficient to 
enable the dhow to weather a point just ahead of 
her, and the cutter rowed down on her so fast that 
it was evidently impossible for her to escape. 


BLACK IVORY. 


289 


Seeing this, the commander of the dhow at once 
ran straight for the shore. Before the boat could 
reach her she was among the breakers on the bar, 
which were so terrible at that part of the coast as 
to render landing in a small boat quite out of the 
question. In a few minutes the dhow was hurled 
on the beach and began to break up, while her crew 
and cargo of slaves swarmed into the sea and tried 
to gain the shore. It seemed to those in the boat 
that some hundreds of negroes were struggling at one 
time in the seething foam. 

“We must risk it, and try to save some of the 
poor wretches,” cried Lindsay ; “ give way, lads, give 
way S ” 

The boat shot in amongst the breakers, and was 
struck by several seas in succession, and nearly 
swamped ere it reached the shore. But they were 
too late to save many of the drowning. Most of the 
strongest of the slaves had gained the shore and 
taken to the hills in wild terror, under the impres- 
sion so carefully instilled into them by the Arabs, 
that the only object the Englishmen had in view 
was to catch, cook, and eat them ! The rest were 
drowned, with the exception of two men and seven 
little children, varying from five to eight years of„ 
age, who were found crawling on the beach, in such 
a state of emaciation that they could not follow their 
companions into the bush. They tried, however, in 
T 


290 


BLACK IVORY. 


their own feeble, helpless way, to avoid capture and 
the terrible fate which they thought awaited them. 

These were soon lifted tenderly into the boat. 

“ Here, Jackson,” cried Lindsay, lifting one of the 
children in his strong arms, and handing it to the 
sailor, “ carry that one very carefully, she seems to 
be almost gone. God help her, poor, poor child !” 

There was good cause for Lindsay's pity, for the 
little girl was so thin that every bone in her body 
was sticking out — her elbow and knee-joints being 
the largest parts of her shrunken limbs, and it was 
found that she could not rise or even stretch her- 
self out, in consequence, as was afterwards ascer- 
tained, of her having been kept for many days in 
the dhow in a sitting posture, with her knees 
doubled up against her face. Indeed, most of the 
poor little things captured were found to be more 
or less stiffened from the same cause. 

An Arab interpreter had been sent with Lindsay, 
but he turned out to be so incapable that it was 
scarcely possible to gain any information from him. 
He was either stupid in reality, or pretended to be 
so. The latter supposition is not improbable, for 
many of the interpreters furnished to the men-of- 
• war on that coast were found to be favourable -to 
the slavers, insomuch that they have been known to 
mislead those whom they were paid to serve. 

With great difficulty the cutter was pulled through 


BLACK IVORY. 


291 


the surf. That afternoon the ‘ Firefly* hove in sight, 
and took the rescued slaves on board. 

Next day two boats from the steamer chased an- 
other dhow on shore, but with even less result than 
before, for the whole of tlie slaves escaped to the 
hills. On the day following, however, a large dhow 
was captured, with about a hundred and fifty slaves 
on board, all of whom were rescued, and the dhow 
destroyed. 

The dhows which were thus chased or captured 
were all regular and undisguised slavers. Their 
owners were openly engaged in what they knew 
was held to be piracy alike by the Portuguese, the 
Sultan of Zanzibar, and the English. They were 
exporting slaves from Africa to Arabia and Persia, 
which is an illegal species of traffic. In dealing 
with these, no difficulty was experienced except the 
difficulty of catching them. When caught, the dhows 
were invariably destroyed and the slaves set free 
— that is to say, carried to those ports where they 
might be set free with safety. 

But there were two other sorts of traffickers in 
the bodies and souls of human beings who were 
much more difficult to deal with. 

There were, first, the legal slave-traders, namely, 
the men who convey slaves by sea from one part of 
the Sultan of Zanzibar’s dominions to another. This 
kind of slavery was prosecuted under tlie shelter of 


292 


BLACK IVORY. 


what we have already referred to as a domestic 
institution ! It involved, as we have said before, 
brutality, injustice, cruelty, theft, murder, and ex- 
termination, but, beincr a domestic institution of 
Zanzibar, it was held to be legal , and the British 
Government have recognised and tolerated it by 
treaty for a considerable portion of this century ! 

It is, however, but justice to ourselves to say. 
that our Government entered into the treaty with 
the view of checking, limiting, and mitigating the 
evils of the slave-trade. We have erred in recog- 
nising any form of slavery, no matter how humane 
our object was — one proof of which is that we have, 
by our interference, unintentionally increased the 
evils of slavery instead of abating them. 

It is worth while remarking here, that slavery is 
also a domestic institution in Arabia and Persia. If 
it be right that we should not interfere with the 
Zanzibar institution, why should we interfere with 
that of Arabia or Persia ? 1 We maintain a squadron 
on the east coast of Africa to stop the flow of Africans 
to the latter countries, while we permit the flow by 
treaty , as well as by practice, to the former. Is this 
consistent? The only difference between the two 
cases is one of distance, not of principle. 

But to return'to our point — the legal traders. In 

1 Our treaty appears to have been founded on the principle that 
we ousht to Tespect domestic institution*. 


BLACK IVORY. 


293 


consequence of the Sultan’s dominions lying partly 
on an island and partly on the mainland, his do- 
mestic institution necessitates boats, and in order 
to distinguish between his boats and the pirates, 
there is a particular season fixed in which he may 
carry his slaves by sea from one part of his domi- 
nions to another ; and each boat is furnished with 
papers which prove it to be a “ legal trader.” This 
is the point on which the grand fallacy of our inter- 
ference hinges. The “ domestic institution” would 
be amply supplied by about 4000 slaves a year. 
The so-called legal traders are simply legalized de- 
ceivers, who transport not fewer than 30,000 slaves 
a year I 1 They leave Zanzibar with full cargoes 
continually, with far more than is required for what 
we may term home-consumption. Nevertheless, 
correct papers are furnished to them by the Sultan, 
which protects them from British cruisers within 
the prescribed limits, namely, between Cape Dalgado 
and Lamoo, a line of coast about 1500 miles in ex- 
tent. But it is easy for them to evade the cruisers 
in these wide seas and extensive coasts, and the 

1 It must be borne in mind that these 30,000 represent only a 
portion — the Zanzibar portion— of the great African slave-trade. From 
the Portuguese settlements to the south, and from the north by way 
of Egypt, the export of negroes as slaves is larger. It is estimated 
that the total number of human beings enslaved on the east and north- 
east coast of Africa is about 70,000 a year. As all authorities agree 
in the statement that at the lowest estimate only one out of every jive 
captured survives to go into slavery, this number represents a loss to 
Africa of 350,000 human beings a year. 


294 


BLACK IVORY. 


value of Black Ivory is so great that the loss of a 
few is but a small matter. On reaching the northern 
limits the legal traders become pirates. They run 
to the northward, and take their chance of being 
captured by cruisers. 

The reason of all this is very obvious. The 
Sultan receives nearly half a sovereign a head for 
each slave imported into Zanzibar, and our Govern- 
ments, in time past, have allowed themselves to 
entertain the belief, that, by treaty, the Sultan could 
be induced to destroy this the chief source of his 
revenue ! 

Surely it is not too much to say, that Great 
Britain ought to enter into no treaty whatever in 
regard to slavery , excepting such as shall provide for 
the absolute , total, and immediate extirpation thereof 
by whatsoever name called - . 

Besides these two classes of slavers, — the open, 
professional pirates, and the sneaking, deceiving 
* “ domestic” slavers, — there are the slave- smugglers. 
They are men who profess to be, and actually are, 
legal traders in ivory, gum, copal, and other produce 
of Africa. These fellows manage to smuggle two or 
three slaves each voyage to the Black Ivory markets, 
under pretence that they form part of the crew of 
their dhows. It is exceedingly difficult, almost 
impossible, for the officers of our cruisers to convict 
these smugglers — to distinguish between slaves and 


BLACK IVORY. 


295 


crews, consequently immense numbers of slaves are 
carried off to the northern ports in this manner. 
Sometimes these dhows carry Arab or other passen- 
gers, and when there are so many slaves on board 
that it would be obviously absurd to pretend that 
they formed part of the crew, the owner dresses 
the poor wretches up in the habiliments that come 
most readily to hand, and passes them off as the wives 
or servants of these passengers. Any one might see 
at a glance that the stupid, silent, timid-looking 
creatures, who have had almost every human ele- 
ment beaten out of them, are nothing of the sort, 
but there is no means of proving them other than 
they are represented to be. If an interpreter were 
to ask them they would be ready to swear anything 
that their owner had commanded ; hence the cruisers 
are deceived in every way — in many ways besides 
those now mentioned — and our philanthropic in- 
tentions are utterly thwarted ; for the rescuing and 
setting free of 1000 or 2000 negroes a year out of 
the 30,000 annually exported, is not an adequate 
result for our great expense in keeping a squadron 
on the coast, especially when we consider that 
hundreds, probably thousands, of slaves perish amid 
horrible sufferings caused by the efforts of the man- 
stealers to avoid our cruisers. These would proba- 
bly not lose their lives, and the entire body of slaves 
would suffer less, if we did not interfere at all. 


290 


BLACK IVORY. 


From this we do not argue that non-interference 
would he best, but that, as our present system of 
repression does not effectively accomplish what is 
aimed at, it ought to be changed. What the change 
should be, many wise and able men have stated. 
Their opinion we cannot quote here, but one thing 
taught to us by past experience is clear, we cannot 
cure the slave-trade by merely limiting it. Our 
motto in regard to slavery ought to be— Total and 
immediate extinction everywhere < 


BLACK IVORY. 


2^7 


* 

CHAPTER XVII. 


UTRONG MEASURES LEAD TO UNEXPECTED DISCOVERIES. 


“ I’m terribly worried and perplexed,” said Lieu- 
tenant Lindsay one afternoon to Midshipman 
Midgley, as they were creeping along the coast in 
the neighbourhood of Cape Dalgado. 

“ Why so ? ” inquired the middy. 

“ Because I can learn nothing whatever about the 
movements of Marizano,” replied the Lieutenant. 
u I have not spoken to you about this man hitherto, 
because — because — that is to. say — the fact is, it 
wasn’t worth while, seeing that you know no more 
'about him than I do, perhaps not so much. But I 
can’t help thinking that we might have learned 
something about him by this time, only our inter- 
preter is such an unmitigated ass, he seems to 
understand nothing — to pick up nothing.” 

“ Indeed ! ” exclaimed the midshipman ; “ I ’m 
surprised to hear you say so, because I heard 
Suliman whispering last night with that half-caste 


298 


BLACK IVORY. 


fellow whom we captured along with the other 
niggers, and I am confident that he mentioned the 
name of Marizano several times.” 

“Did he ? Well now, the rascal invariably looks 
quite blank when I mention Marizano’s name, and 
shakes his head, as if he had never heard of it 
before.” 

“Couldn’t you intimidate him into disgorging 
a little of his knowledge ?” suggested Midgley, with 
an arch look. 

“ I have thought of that,” replied Lindsay, with 
a frown. “ Come, it ’s not a bad idea ; I ’ll try ! 
Hallo ! Suliman, come aft, I want you.” 

Lieutenant Lindsay was one of those men who 
are apt to surprise people by the precipitancy of 
thdir actions. He was not, indeed, hasty; but 
when his mind was made up he was not slow in 
proceeding to action. It was so on the present 
occasion, to the consternation of Suliman, who had 
hitherto conceived him to be rather a soft, easy- 
going man. 

“ Suliman,” he said, in a low out remarkably firm 
tone of voice, “you know more about Marizano 
than you choose to tell me. Now,” he continued, 
gazing into the Arab’s cold grey eyes, while he 
pulled a revolver from his coat-pocket, and cocked 
it, “ I intend to make you tell me all you know 
about him, or to blow your brains out.” 


BLACK IVORY. 


299 


He moved the pistol gently as he spoke, and 
placed his forefinger on the trigger. 

“ I not knoW,” began Suliman, who Evidently did 
not believe him to be quite in earnest ; but before 
the words had well left his lips the drum of his left 
ear was almost split by the report of the pistol, and 
a part of his turban was blown away. 

* You don’t know ? very well,” said Lindsay, re- 
cocking the pistol, and placing the cold muzzle of it 
against the Arab’s yellow nose. 

This was too much for Suliman. He grew pale, 
and suddenly fell on his knees. 

“ Oh ! stop ! no — no ! not fire ! me tell you ’bout ’im.” 

“ Good, get up and do so,” said the Lieutenant, 
uncocking the revolver, and returning it to his 
pocket; “and be sure that you tell me all, else 
your life won’t be worth the value of the damaged 
turban on your head.” 

With a good deal of trepidation the alarmed in- 
terpreter thereupon gave Lindsay all the informa- 
tion he possessed in regard to the slaver, which 
amounted to this, that he had gone to Kilwa, 
"where he had collected a band of slaves sufficient to 
fill a large dhow, with which he intended, in two 
days more, to sail, in company with a fleet of 
slavers, for the north. 

“Does he intend to touch at Zanzibar?” inquired 
Lindsay. 


300 


BLACK IVORY. 


“ Me tink no,” replied the interpreter ; " got many 
pritty garls — go straight for Persia.” 

On hearing this the Lieutenant put the cutter 
about, and sailed out to sea in search of the 
‘Firefly/ which he knew could not at that time 
be at any great distance from the shore. 

He found her sooner than he had expected ; and, 
to his immense astonishment as well as joy, one of 
the first persons he beheld on stepping over the side 
of his ship was Azint4. 

“You have captured Marizano, sir, I see,” he 
said to Captain Eomer. 

“Not the scoundrel himself, but one of % his 
dhows,” replied the Captain. “ He had started for 
the northern ports with two heavily-laden vessels. 
We discovered him five days ago, and, fortunately, 
just beyond the protected water, so that he was a 
fair and lawful prize. The first of his dhows being 
farthest out from shore we captured, but the other, 
commanded by himself, succeeded in running 
ashore, and he escaped with nearly all his slaves 
— only a few of the women and children being 
drowned in the surf. And now, as our cargo of 
poor wretches is pretty large, I shall run for the 
Seychelles. After landing them I shall return as 
fast as possible, to intercept a few more of these 
pirates.” 

w To the Seychelles !” muttered the Lieutenant to 


BLACK IVORY. 


301 


himself as he went below, with an expression on 
his countenance something between surprise and 
despair. 

Poor Lindsay ! His mind was so taken up with 
and confused by the constant and obtrusive pre- 
sence of the Senhorina Maraquita that the particu- 
lar turn which affairs had taken had not occurred 
to him, although that turn was quite natural, and 
by no means improbable. Marizano, with Azinte on 
board of one of his piratical dhows, was proceeding 
to the north. Captain Komer, with his war-steamer, 
was on the look-out for piratical dhows. What more 
natural than that the Captain should fall in with 
the pirate? But Lieutenant Lindsay's mind had 
been so filled with Maraquita that it seemed to be, 
for the time, incapable of holding more than one 
other idea — that idea was the fulfilment of Mara- 
quita’s commands to obtain information as to her 
lost Azinte. To this he had of late devoted all his 
powers, happy in the thought that it fell in with 
and formed part of his duty to his Queen and 
country, as well as to the “ Queen of his soul.” To 
rescue Azinte from Marizano seemed to the bold 
Lieutenant an easy enough matter; but to rescue 
her from his own Captain, and send her back into 
slavery ! “Ass ! that I am,” he exclaimed, “not to 
have thought of this before. Of course she can 
never be returned to Maraquita, and small comfort 


302 


BLACK rVOKY, 


it will be to the Senhorina to be told that her 
favourite is free in the Seychelles Islands, and 
utterly beyond her reach, unless she chooses to go 
there and stay with her.” 

Overwhelmed with disgust at his own stupidity, 
and at the utter impossibility of doing anything to 
mend matters, the unfortunate Lieutenant sat down 
to think, and the result of his thinking was that 
he resolved at all events to look well after Azint4, 
and see that she should be cared for on her arrival 
at the Seychelles. 

Among the poor creatures who had been rescued 
from Marizano’s dhow were nearly a hundred 
children, in such a deplorable condition that small 
hopes were entertained of their reaching the island 
alive. Their young lives, however, proved to be 
tenacious. Experienced though their hardy rescuers 
were in rough and tumble work, they had no con- 
ception what these poor creatures had already gone 
through, and, therefore, formed a mistaken estimate 
of their powers of . eu durance. Eighty- three of them 
reached the Seychelles alive. They were placed 
under the care of a warm-hearted missionary, who 
spared no pains for their restoration to health ; but, 
despite his utmost efforts, forty of these eventually 
died — their little frames had been whipped, and 
starved, and tried to such au extent that recovery 
was impossible. 


BLACK IVORY. 


303 


To the care of this missionary Lieutenant Lindsay 
committed Azinte, telling him as much pf her sad 
story as he was acquainted with. The missionary 
willingly took charge of her, and placed her as a 
nurse in the temporary hospital which he had insti- 
tuted for the little ones above referred to. Here 
Azint4 proved herself to be a most tender, affec- 
tionate, and intelligent nurse to the poor children, 
for whom she appeared to entertain particular regard, 
and here, on the departure of the ‘ Firefly * shortly 
afterwards, Lindsay left her in a state of comfort, 
usefulness, and comparative felicity. 


304 


BLACK IVORY. 


CHAPTEE XYIIL 

DESCRIBES SOME OF THE DOINGS OF TOOSOOF AND HIS MEN IN FRO- 
CURING BLACK IVORY FROM THE INTERIOR OF AFRICA. 

A dirty shop, in a filthy street, in the unhealthy 
town of Zanzibar, is the point to which we now beg 
leave to conduct our reader — whom we also request 
to leap, in a free and easy way, over a few months 
of time ! 

It is not for the sake of the shop that we make 
this leap, but for the purpose of introducing the 
two men who, at the time we write of, sat over their 
grog in a small back-room connected with that shop. 
Still the shop itself is not altogether unworthy of 
notice. It is what the Americans call a store — a 
place where you can purchase almost every article 
that the wants of man have called into being. The 
prevailing smells are of oil, sugar, tea, molasses, 
paint and tar, a compound which confuses the 
discriminating powers of the nose, and, on the 
principle that extremes meet, removes the feeling 
of surprise that ought to be aroused by discovering 


BLACK IVORY. 


305 


that these ‘ odours are in close connexion with 
haberdashery and hardware. There are enormous 
casks, puncheons, and kegs on the floor; hales on 
the shelves ; indescribable confusion in the comers ; 
preserved meat tins piled to the ceiling ; with dust 
and dirt encrusting everything. The walls, beams, 
and rafters, appear to be held together by means of 
innumerable cobwebs. Hosts of flies fatten on, with- 
out diminishing, the stock, and squadrons of cock- 
roaches career over the earthen floor. 

In the little back-room of this shop sat the slave- 
dealer Yoosoof, in company with the captain of an 
English ship which lay in the harbour. 

Smoke from the captain’s pipe filled the little den 
. to such an extent that Yoosoof and his friend were 
not so clearly distinguishable as might have been 
desired. 

“ You’re all a set of false-hearted, wrong-headed, 
low-minded, scoundrels,” said the plain-spoken 
captain, accompanying each asseveration with a puff 
so violent as to suggest the^idea that his remarks 
were round-shot and his mouth a cannon. 

The Briton was evidently not in a complimentary 
mood. It was equally evident that Yoosoof was not 
in a touchy vein, for he smiled the slightest possible 
smile and shrugged his shoulders. He had business 
to transact with the captain which was likely to 
result very much to his advantage, and Yoosoof was 


BLACK IVORY. 


30f, 

not the man to let feelings stand in the way of 
business. 

“ Moreover,” pursued the captain, in a gruff voice, 
“the trade in slaves is illegally conducted in one 
sense, namely, that it is largely carried on by British 
subjects.” 

“ How you make that out ?” asked Yoosoof. 

“How? why, easy enough. Aren’t the richest 
men in Zanzibar the Banyans, and don’t these 
Banyans, who number about 17,000 of your popular 
tion, supply you Arabs with money to carry on the 
accursed slave-trade? And ain’t these Banyans 
Indian merchants — subjects of Great Britain ? ” 

Yoosoof shrugged his shoulders again and smiled. 

“ And don’t these opulent rascals,” continued the 
Briton, “ love their ease as well as their money, and 
when they want to increase the latter without 
destroying the former, don’t they make advances to 
the like of you and get 100- per cent, out of you for 
every dollar advanced ?” 

Yoosoof nodded his head decidedly at this, and 
smiled again. 

* Well, then, ain’t the whole lot of you a set of 
mean scoundrels ?” said the captain fiercely. 

Yoosoof did not smile at this ; he even looked for 
a moment as if he were going to resent it, but it 
was only for a moment. Self-interest came* oppor- 
tunely to his aid and made him submissive. 


BLA.CK IVORY. 


307 


u What can we do ?” he asked after a short silence. 
“ You knows what the Sultan say, other day, to one 
British officer, * if you stop slave-trade you will ruin 
Zanzibar/ We mus* not do that. Zanzibar mus’ 
not be ruin.” 

“ Why not ?” demanded the captain, with a look 
of supreme contempt, “ what if* Zanzibar was ruined ? 
Look here, now, Yoosoof, your dirty little island — 
the whole island observe — is not quite the size of my 
own Scotch county of Lanark. Its population is short 
of 250,000 all told — scarce equal to the half of the 
population of Lanark — composed of semi-barbarians 
and savages. That’s one side of the question. Here’s 
the other side : Africa is one of the four quarters of 
the earth, with millions of vigorous niggers and 
millions of acres of splendid land, and no end of 
undeveloped resources, and you have the impudence 
to tell me that an enormous lump of this land must 
be converted into a desert, and something like 
150,000 of its best natives be drawn off annually — 
for what ? — for what ?” repeated the sailor, bringing 
his fist down on the table before him with such force 
that the glasses danced on it and the dust flew up; “for 
what ? I say ; for a paltry, pitiful island, ruled by a 
sham sultan, without army or navy, and with little 
money, save what he gets by slave-dealing ; an 
island which has no influence for good on the world, 
morally, religiously, or. socially, and with little com- 


308 


BLACK IVORY. 


mercially, though it has much influence for evil ; an 
island which has helped the Portuguese to lock up 
the east coast of Africa for centuries ; an island which 
would not he missed — save as a removed curse — if 
it were sunk this night to the bottom of the sea, and 
all its selfish, sensual, slave-dealing population swept 
entirely off the face of the earth.” 

The captain had risen and dashed his pipe to 
atoms on the floor in his indignation as he made 
these observations. He now made an effort to 
control himself, and then, sitting down, he con- 
tinued — 

“Just think, Yoosoof; you’re a sharp man of 
business, as I know to my cost. You can under- 
stand a thing in a commercial point of view. Just 
try to look at it thus: On the- one side of the 
world’s account you have Zanzibar sunk with all its 
Banyan and Arab population ; we won’t sink the 
niggers, poor wretches. We ’ll suppose them saved, 
along with the consuls, missionaries, and suchlike. 
Well, that’s a loss of somewhere about 83,000 
scoundrels, — a gain we might call it, but for the 
sake of argument we ’ll call it a loss. On the other 
side of the account you have 30,000 niggers — 
fair average specimens of humanity — saved from 
slavery, besides something like 150,000 more saved 
from death by war and starvation, the results of 
the slave-trade; 83,000 from 150,000 leaves 67,000! 


BLACK IVORY. 


309 


The loss, you see, would be more than wiped off, 
and a handsome balance left at the world’s credit 
the very first year ! To say nothing of the open- 
ing up of legitimate commerce to one of the richest 
countries on earth, and the consequent introduction 
of Christianity.” 

The captain paused to take breath. Yoosoof 
shrugged his shoulders, and a brief silence ensued, 
which was happily broken not by a recurrence to 
the question of slavery, but by the entrance of a 
slave. He came in search of Yoosoof for the pur- 
pose of telling him that his master wished to speak 
with him. As the slave’s master was one of the 
wealthy Banyans just referred to, Yoosoof rose at 
once, and, apologising to the captain for quitting 
him so hurriedly, left that worthy son of Neptune 
to cool his indignation in solitude. 

Passing through several dirty streets the slave led 
the slaver to a better sort of house in a more salu- 
brious or, rather, less pestilential, part of the town. 
He was ushered into the presence of an elderly man 
of quiet unobtrusive aspect. 

“ Yoosoof,” said the Banyan in Arabic, “ I have 
been considering the matter about which we had 
some conversation yesterday, and I find that it will 
be convenient for me to make a small venture. 1 
can let you have three thousand dollars.” 

“ On the old terms ? ” asked Yoosoof. 


310 


BLACK IVORY. 


“ On the old terms,” replied the merchant. “ Will 
yon be ready to start soon ? ” 

Yoosoof said that he would, that he had already 
completed the greater part of his preparations, and 
that he hoped to start for the interior in a week or 
two. 

“ That is well ; I hope you may succeed in doing 
a good deal of business,” said the merchant with an 
amiable nod and smile, which might have led an 
ignorant onlooker to imagine that Yoosoof s business 
in the interior was work of a purely philanthropic 
nature ! 

“ There is another affair, which it has struck me 
may lie in your way,” continued the merchant. 
“ The British consul is, I am told, anxious to find 
some one who will undertake to make inquiries in 
the interior about some Englishmen who are said to 
have been captured by the black fellows and made 
slaves of” 

“ Does the consul know what tribe has captured 
them ? ” asked Yoosoof. 

“ I think not ; but as he offers five hundred dol- 
lars for every lost white man who shall be recovered 
and brought to the coast alive, I thought that you 
might wish to aid him ! ” 

“ True,” said Yoosoof, musing, “ true, I will go 
and see him.” 

Accordingly, the slave-dealer had an interview 


BLACK IVORY. 


311 


with the consul, during which he learned that there 
was no absolute .certainty of any Englishmen hav- 
ing been captured. It was only a vague rumour ; 
nevertheless it was sufficiently probable to warrant 
the offer of five hundred dollars to any one who 
should effect a rescue; therefore Yoosoof, having 
occasion to travel into the interior at any rate, 
undertook to make inquiries. 

He was also told that two Englishmen had, 
not long before, purchased an outfit and started 
off with the intention of proceeding to the interior 
by way of the Zambesi river, and they, the consul 
said, might possibly be heard of by him near the 
regions to which he was bound ; but these, he sug- 
gested, could not be the men who were reported as 
missing. 

Of course Yoosoof had not the most remote idea 
that these were the very Englishmen whom he him- 
self had captured on the coast, for, after parting 
from them abruptly, as described in a former chap- 
ter, he had ceased to care or think about them, and 
besides, was ignorant of the fact that they had been 
to Zanzibar. 

Yoosoofs own particular business required a 
rather imposing outfit. First of all, he purchased 
and packed about £600 worth of beads of many 
colours, cloth of different kinds, thick brass wire, 
and a variety of cheap trinkets, such as black men 


312 


BLACK IV011Y. 


and women are fond of, for Yoosoof was an “ honest ” 
trader, and paid his way when he found it suitable 
to do so. He likewise hired a hundred men, whom 
he armed with guns, powder, and ball, for Yoosoof 
was also a dishonest trader, and fought his way 
when that course seemed most desirable. 

With this imposing caravan he embarked in a 
large dhow, sailed for the coast, landed at Kilwa, 
and proceeded into the interior of Africa. 

It was a long and toilsome journey over several 
hundred miles of exceedingly fertile and beautiful 
country, eminently suited for the happy abode of 
natives. But Yoosoof and his. class who traded in 
black ivory had depopulated it to' such an extent 
that scarce a human being was to be seen all the 
way. There were plenty of villages, but they were 
in ruins, and acres of cultivated ground with the 
weeds growing rank where the grain had once 
flourished. Further on in the journey, near the 
end of it, there was a change ; the weeds and grain 
grew together and did battle, but in most places the 
weeds gained the victory. It was quita evident 
that the whole land had once been a rich garden 
teeming with human life — savage life, no doubt, 
still, not so savage but that it could manage to exist 
in comparative enjoyment and multiply. Yoosoof 
passed through a hundred and fifty miles of this 
land; it was a huge grave, which, - appropriately 


BLACK IVORY. 


313 


enough, was profusely garnished with humau 
hones . 1 

At last the slave-trader reached lands which 
were not utterly forsaken. 

Entering a village one afternoon he sent a present 
of cloth and beads to the chief, and, after a few 
preliminary ceremonies, announced that he wished 
to purchase slaves. 

The chief, who was a fine-looking young warrior, 
said that he had no men, women or children to sell, 
except a few criminals to whom he was welcome 
at a very low price, — about two or three yards of 
calico each. There were also one or two orphan 
children whose parents had died suddenly, and to 
whom no one in the village could lay claim. It was 
true that these poor orphans had been adopted by 
various families who might not wish to part with 
them ; but no matter, the chiefs command was law. 
Yoosoof might have the orphans also for a very 
small sum,— a yard of calico perhaps. But nothing 
would induce the chief to compel any of his people 
to part with their children, and none of the people 
seemed desirous of doing so. 

The slave-trader therefore adopted another plan. 
He soon managed to ascertain that the chief had an old 
grudge against a neighbouring chief. In the course of 
conversation he artfully stirred up the slumbering 

1 See Livingstone’s Tributaries of the Zambesi , p. 391. 


314 


BLACK IVORY. 


ill-will, and carefully fanned it into a flame without 
appearing to have any such end in view. When 
the iron was sufficiently hot he struck it — supplied 
the chief with guns and ammunition, and even, as a 
great favour, offered to lend him a few of his own 
men in order that he might make a vigorous attack 
on his old enemy. 

The device succeeded to- perfection. War was 
begun without any previous declaration ; prisoners 
were soon brought in — not only men, but women 
and children. The first were coupled together with 
heavy slave-sticks, which were riveted to their 
necks ; the latter were attached to each other with 
ropes ; and thus Yoosoof, in a few days, was enabled 
to proceed on his journey with a goodly drove of 
“ black cattle ” behind him. 

This occurred not far from Lake Nyassa, which 
he intended should be his head-quarters for a time, 
while his men, under a new leader whom he ex- 
pected to meet there, should push their victorious 
arms farther into the interior. 

On reaching the shores of the noble lake, he 
found several birds of the same feather with him- 
self — Arabs— engaged in the same trade. He also 
found his old friend and trusty ally, Marizano. 
This gratified him much, for he was at once enabled 
to hand over the charge of the expedition to his 
lieutenant, and send him forth on his mission. 


BLACK IVORY. 


315 


That same evening — a lovely and comparatively 
cool one — Yoosoof and the half-caste sauntered on 
the margin of the lake, listening to the sweet melody 
of the free and happy birds, and watching the de- 
barkation, from a large boat, of a band of miserable 
slaves who had been captured or purchased on the 
other side. 

“ Now, Marizano,” said Yoosoof, addressing the 
half-caste in his native tongue, “ I do not intend to 
cumber you with cloth or beads on this expedition. 
I have already spent a good deal in the purchase of 
slaves, who are now in my barracoon, and I think it 
will be both cheaper and easier to make up the rest 
of the gang by means of powder and lead.” 

“ It is lighter to carry, and more, effectual,” re- 
marked Marizano, with a nod of approval. 

“ True/’ returned Yoosoof, “ and quicker. Will a 
hundred men and guns suffice ?” 

“ Eighty are enough to conquer any of the bow 
and spear tribes of this region,” replied the half- 
caste carelessly. 

“ Good !” continued Yoosoof. “ Then you shall 
start to-morrow. The tribes beyond thip lake are 
not yet afraid of us — thanks to the mad English- 
man, Livingstone, who has opened up the country 
and spread the information that white men are the 
friends of the black, and hate slavery . 1 You may 

1 Livingstone tells us tliat he found, on ascending the Shire river, 


316 


BLACK IVORY. 


try to pass yourself off as a white man, though youi 
face is not so white as might be desired ; however, 
you can comfort yourself with the knowledge that 
it is whiter than your heart !” 

The Arab smiled and glanced at his lieutenant. 
Marizano smiled, bowed in acknowledgment of the 
compliment, and replied that he believed himself to 
be second to no one except his employer in that 
respect. 

“ Well, then,” continued Yoosoof, “ you must fol- 
low up the discoveries of this Englishman ; give out 
that you are his friend, and have come there for the 
same purposes ; and, when you have put them quite 
at their ease, commence a brisk trade with them — 
for which purpose you may take with you just 
enough of cloth and beads to enable you to carry 
out the deception. Eor the rest, I need not instruct ; 
you know what to do as well as I.” 

Marizano approved heartily of this plan, and 
assured his chief that his views should be carried 
out to his entire satisfaction. 

“ But there is still another point,” said Yoosoof, 
“ on which I have to talk. It appears that there are 
some white men who have been taken prisoners by 
one of the interior tribes — I know not which — for 

that the Portuguese slave-traders had followed closely in the footsteps 
of his previous discoveries, and passed themselves off as his friends, 
by which means they were successful in gaining the confidence of the 
natives whom they afterwards treacherously murdered or enslaved. 


BLACK IVORY. 


317 


the finding of whom the British consul at Zanzibar 
has offered me five hundred dollars. If you can 
obtain information about these men it will be well. 
If you can find and rescue them it will be still 
better, and you shall have a liberal share of the 
reward.” 

While the Arab was speaking, the half-caste’s 
visage betrayed a slight degree of surprise. 

“ White men !” he said, pulling up his sleeve 
and showing a gun-shot wound in his arm which 
appeared to be not ,very old. “ A white man in- 
flicted that not long ago, and not very far from the 
spot on which we stand. I had vowed to take the 
life of that white man if we should ever chance to 
meet, but if it is worth five hundred dollars I may 
be tempted to spare it !” 

He laughed lightly as he spoke, and then added, 
with a thoughtful look,-; — 

“ But I don’t see how these men — there were two 
of them, if not more — can be prisoners, because, 
when I came across them, they were well armed, 
well supplied, and well attended, else, you may he 
sure, they had not given me this wound and freed 
my slaves. But the scoundrels who were with me 
at the time were cowards.” 

“ You are right,” said Yoosoof. “ The white men 
you met I heard of at Zanzibar. They cannot be the 
prisoners we are asked to search for. They have not 


318 


BLACK IVORY. 


yet been long enough away, I should think, to have 
come by any mischance, and the white men who are 
said to be lost have been talked about in Zanzibar 
for a long time. However, make diligent inquiries, 
because the promise is, that the five hundred dollars 
shall be ours if we rescue any white man, no matter 
who he may chance to be. And now I shall show 
you the cattle I have obtained on the way up.” 

The barracoon, to which the Arab led his lieute- 
nant, was a space enclosed by a strong and high 
stockade, in which slaves were- kept under guard 
until a sufficient number should be secured to form 
a gang, wherewith to start for the coast. At the 
entrance stood a savage -looking Portuguese half- 
caste armed with a gun. Inside there was .an 
assortment of Yoosoofs Black Ivory. It was in 
comparatively good condition at that time, not hav- 
ing travelled far, and, as it was necessary to keep it 
up to a point of strength sufficient to enable it to 
reach the coast, it was pretty well fed except in the 
case of a few rebellious articles. There were, how- 
ever, specimens of damaged goods even there. Se- 
veral of the orphans, who had become Yoosoof’s 
property, although sprightly enough when first pur- 
chased, had not stood even the short journey to the 
lake so well as might have been expected. They 
had fallen off in flesh to such an extent, that Yoosoof 
was induced to remark to Marizano, as they stood 


BLACK IVORY. 


319 


surveying them, that he feared they would, never 
reach the coast alive. 

“ That one, now/’ he said, pointing to a little boy 
who was tightly wedged in the midst of the group 
of slaves, and sat on the ground with his face resting 
on his knees, “ is the most troublesome piece of 
goods I have had to do with since I began business ; 
and it seems to me that I am going to lose him 
after all.” 

“ What’s the matter with him ? ” asked the half- 
caste. 

“ Nothing particular, only he is a delicate boy. 
At first I refused him, but he is so well made, 
though delicate, and such a good-looking child, 
and so spirited, that I decided to take him ; but 
he turns out to be too spirited. Nothing that 
1 can do will tame him, — oh, that won’t do it,” 
said Yoosoof, observing that Marizano raised the 
switch he carried in his hand with a significant 
action ; “ I have beaten him till there is scarcely 
a sound inch of skin on his whole body, but it’s 
of no use. Ho ! stand up,” called Yoosoof, letting 
the lash of his whip fall lightly on the boy’s 
shoulders. 

There was, however, no response ; the Arab 
therefore repeated the order, and laid the lash across 
the child’s bare back with a degree of force that 
would have caused the stoutest man to wince ; still 


320 


BLACK IVORY. 


the boy did not move. Somewhat surprised, Yoo- 
soof pushed his way towards him, seized him by 
the hair and threw back his head. 

The Arab left him immediately and remarked in 
a quiet tone that he should have no more trouble 
with him — he was dead ! 

“ What’s the matter with that fellow?” asked Mari- 
zano, pointing to a man who was employed in con- 
stantly rolling up a bit of wet clay and applying it 
to his left eye. 

“ Ah, he’s another of these unmanageable fellows,” 
replied Yoosoof. “ I have been trying to tame him 
by starvation. The other morning he fell on his 
knees before the man who guards the barracoon 
and entreated him to give him food. The guard 
is a rough fellow, and had been put out oi 
temper lately by a good many of the slaves. In- 
stead of giving him food he gave him a blow in 
the eye which burst the ball of it, and of course 
has rendered him worthless ; but he won’t trouble 
us long.” 

In another place a woman crouched on the 
ground, having something wrapped in leaves which 
she pressed to her dried breast. It was the body 
of a child to which she had recently given birth in 
that place of woe. 

Leaving his cringing and terrified goods to the 
guardian of the barracoon, the Arab returned to his 


/ 

BLACK IVORY. 321 

tent beside the beautiful lake, and there, while en- 
joying the aroma of flowers and the cool breeze, and 
the genial sunshine, and the pleasant influences 
which God has scattered with bountiful hand over 
that luxuriant portion of the earth, calmly concerted 
with Marizano the best method by which he could 
bring inconceivable misery on thousands of its 
wretched inhabitants. 



x 


322 


BLACK IVOKY. 


CHAPTER XIX. 

TOLLS OF MISFORTUNES THAT BEFELL OUR WANDERERS ; OF 
FAMILIAR TOYS UNDER NEW ASPECTS, ETC. 

When Harold Seadrift and Disco Lillihammei 
were stopped in their journey, as related in a for- 
mer chapter, by the sudden illness of the bold sea- 
man, an event was impending over them which 
effectually overturned their plans. This was the 
sudden descent of a band of armed natives who had 
been recently driven from their homes by a slaving 
party. The slavers had taken them by surprise 
during the night, set their huts on fire, captured 
their women and children, and slaughtered all the 
men, excepting those who sought and found safety 
in flight. It was those who had thus escaped that 
chanced to come upon the camp of our travellers one 
evening about sunset. 

Disco was recovering from his attack of fever at the 
time, though still weak. Harold was sitting by his 
couch of leaves in the hut which had been erected 
for him on the first day of the illness. Jumbo was 
cutting up a piece of flesh for supper, and Antonio 




BLACK IVOKY. 


323 


was putting the kettle on the fire. The rest of the 
party were away in the woods hunting. 

No guard was kept; consequently the savages 
came down on them like a thunderbolt, and found 
them quite unprepared to resist, even if resistance 
had been of any use. 

At first their captors, bitterly infuriated by their 
recent losses, proposed to kill their prisoners, with- 
out delay, by means of the most excruciating tor- 
tures that they could invent, but from some un- 
known cause, changed their minds ; coupled Harold 
and Disco together by means of two slave- sticks ; 
tied Antonio and Jumbo with ropes, and drove them 
away. 

So suddenly was the thing done, and so effectually 
that Disco was far from the camp before he could 
realize that what had occurred was a fact, and not 
one of the wild feverish dreams that had beset him 
during his illness. 

The natives would not listen to the earnest ex- 
planation of Antonio that Harold and Disco were 
Englishmen, and haters of slavery. They scowled 
as they replied that the same had been said by the 
slavers who had attacked their village ; from which 
remark it would seem that Yoosoof was not quite 
the originator *of that device to throw the natives 
off their guard. The Portuguese of Tete on the 
Zambesi had also thought of and acted on it ! 


324 


BLACK IVORY. 


Fortunately it was, as we have said, near sunset 
when the capture was made, and before it became 
quite dark the band encamped, else must poor Disco 
have succumbed to weakness and fatigue. The 
very desperation of his circumstances, however, 
seemed to revive his strength, for next morning he 
resumed his journey with some hope of being able 
to hold out. The continued protestations and 
assurances of Antonio, also, had the effect of in- 
ducing their captors to remove the heavy slave - 
sticks from the necks of Harold and Disco, though 
they did not unbind their wrists. Thus were they 
led further into the country, they knew not whither, 
for several days and nights, and at last reached a 
large village where they, were all thrust into a hut 
and left to their meditations, while their captors 
went to palaver with the chief man of the place. 

This chief proved to be a further-sighted man 
than the men of the tribe who had captured the 
Englishmen. His name was Yambo. He had 
heard of Dr. Livingstone, and had met with men of 
other tribes who had seen and conversed with the 
great traveller. Thus, being of a thoughtful and 
inquiring disposition, he had come to understand 
enough of the good white man’s sentiments to guard 
him from being imposed on by pretended Christians. 

Yambo’s name signified “how are you?” and 
was probably bestowed on him because of a strongly 


BLACK IVORY. 


325 


benevolent tendency to greet friend and stranger 
alike with a hearty “ how d ’ee do ? ” sort of expres- 
sion of face and tone of voice. 

He was a tall grave man, with a commanding 
firm look, and, withal, a dash of child-like humour 
and simplicity. On hearing his visitors’ remarks 
about their captives, he at once paid them a visit, 
and a few leading questions put to Harold through 
Antonio convinced him that the prisoners were 
true men. He therefore returned to his black 
visitors, told them that he had perfect confidence 
in the good faith of the white men, and said that 
he meant to take charge of them. He then en- 
tertained his black brothers hospitably, gave them 
a few presents, and sent them on their way. This 
done he returned to his guests and told them that 
they were free, that their captors were gone, and 
that they might go where they pleased, but that 
it would gratify him much if they would consent 
to spend some time hunting with him in the 
neighbourhood of his village. 

“ How,” said Disco, after Yambo left them, “ this 
is wot I call the most uncommon fix that ever wos 
got into by man since Adam an’ Eve began house- 
keepin’ in the garden of Eden.” 

“I’m not quite sure,” replied Harold, with a 
rueful look, “ that it is absolutely the warst fix, but it 
is bad enough. The worst of it is that this Yambo 


326 


BLACK IVORY. 


has let these rascals off with all our fire-arms and 
camp equipage, so that we are absolutely helpless — ■ 
might as well be prisoners, for we can’t quit this 
village in such circumstances.” 

“ Wot ’s wuss than that to my mind, sir, is, that 
here we are at sea, in the heart of Afriky, without 
chart, quadrant, compass, or rudder, an’ no more idea 
of our whereabouts than one o’ them spider monkeys 
that grins among the trees. Hows’ever, we’re in 
luck to fall into the hands of a friendly chief, so, 
like these same monkeys, we must grin an’ bear it ; 
only I can’t help feelin’ a bit .cast down at the loss 
of our messmates. I fear there ’s no chance of their . 
findin’ us.” 

“Not the least chance in the world, I should 
say,” returned Harold. “ They could not guess in 
which direction we had gone, and unless they had hit 
on the right road at first, every step they took after- 
wards would only widen the distance between us.” 

“ It ’s lucky I was beginnin’ to mend before we 
was catched,” said Disco, feeling the muscles of his 
legs ; “ true, I ain’t much to boast of yet, but I ’m 
improvin’.” 

“ That is more than I can say for myself,” returned 
Harold, with a sigh, as he passed his hand across his 
forehead ; “ I feel as if this last push through the 
woods in the hot sun, and the weight of that terrible 
slave-stick had been almost too much for me.” 


BLACK IVORY. 


327 


Disco looked earnestly and anxiously into the 
face of his friend. 

“ Wot,” asked he, “ does you feel ?” 

“ I can scarcely tell,” replied Harold, with a faint 
smile. “Oh, I suppose I’m a little knocked up, 
that ’s all A night’s rest will put me all right.” 

“ So I thought myself, but I wos wrong,” said 
Disco. “Let’s hear wot your feelin’s is, sir; 
I’m as good as any doctor now, I am, in regard 
to symptoms.” 

“ Well, I feel a sort of all-overishness, a kind of 
lassitude and sleepiness, with a slight headache, and 
a dull pain which appears to be creeping up my 
spine.” 

“ You ’re in for it, sir,” said Disco. “ It ’s lucky 
you have always carried the physic in your pockets, 
’cause you ’ll need it, an’ it ’s lucky, too, that I am 
here and well enough to return tit for tat and nurse 
you, ’cause you ’ll have that ’ere pain in your spine 
creep up your back and round your ribs till it lays 
hold of yer shoulders, where it’ll stick as if it had 
made up its mind to stay there for ever an’ a day. 
Arter that you ’ll get cold an’ shivering like ice — 
oh ! doesn’t I know it well — an’ then hot as fire, 
with heavy head, an’ swiming eyes, an’ twisted sight, 
an’ confusion of — ” 

“ Hold ! hold !” cried Harold, laughing, “ if you go 
on in that way I shall have more than my fair share 


328 


BLACK IVORY. 


of it ! Pray stop, and leave me a little to find out 
for myself.” 

“ Well, sir, take a purge, and turn in at once — 
that ’s my advice. I 'll dose you with quinine to- 
morrow mornin’, first thing,” said Disco, rising and 
proceeding forthwith to arrange a couch in a corner 
of the hut, which Yamho had assigned them. 

Harold knew well enough that his follower was 
right. He took his advice without delay, and next 
morning found himself little better than a child, 
both physically and mentally, for the disease not 
only prostrated his great strength — as it had that of 
his equally robust companion — but, at a certain 
stage, induced delirium, during which he talked 
the most ineffable nonsense that his tongue could 
pronounce, or his brain conceive. 

Poor Disco, who, of course, had been unable to 
appreciate the extent of his own delirious condition, 
began to fear that his leader’s mind was gone for 
ever, and Jumbo was so depressed by the unutterably 
solemn expression of the mariner’s once jovial 
countenance, that he did not once show his teeth 
for a whole week, save when engaged with meals. 

As for Antonio, his nature not being very sym- 
pathetic, and his health being good, he rather- enjoyed 
the quiet life and good living which characterized the 
native village, and secretly hoped that Harold might 
remain on the sick-list for a considerable time to come. 


black iyoky. 


329 


How long this state of affairs lasted we cannot tell, 
for both Harold and Disco lost the correct record of 
time during their respective illnesses. 

Up to that period they had remembered the days 
of the week, in consequence of their habit of 
refraining from going out to hunt on Sundays, 
except when a dearth of meat in the larder rendered 
hunting a necessity. Upon these Sundays Harold’s 
conscience sometimes reproached him for having 
set out on his journey into Africa without a Bible. 
He whispered, to himself at first and afterwards 
suggested to Disco, the excuse that his Bible had 
been lost in the wreck of his father’s vessel, and 
that, perhaps, there were no Bibles to be purchased 
in Zanzibar, but his conscience was a troublesome 
one, and refused to tolerate such bad reasoning, re- 
minding him, reproachfully, that he had made no 
effort whatever to obtain a Bible at Zanzibar. 

As time had passed, and some of the horrors of 
the slave-trade had been brought under his notice, 
many of the words of Scripture leaped to his re- 
membrance, and the regret that he had not carried a 
copy with him increased. That touch of thought- 
lessness, so natural to the young and healthy — to 
whom life has so far been only a garden of roses — 
was utterly routed by the stern and dreadful realities 
which had been recently enacted around him, and 
just in proportion as he was impressed with the lies, 


330 


BLACK IV OR T. 


tyranny, cruelty, and falsehood of man, so did his 
thoughtful regard for the truth and the love of God 
increase, especially those truths that were most 
directly opposed to the traffic in human flesh, such 
as — “love your enemies,” “seek peace with all men,” 
“ be kindly affectioned one to another,” “ whatsoever 
ye would that men should do unto you, do ye even 
so to them.” An absolute infidel, he thought, could 
not fail to perceive that a most blessed change 
would come over the face of Africa if such prin- 
ciples prevailed among its inhabitants even in an 
extremely moderate degree. 

But, to return, the unfortunate travellers were 
now “ at sea ” altogether in regard to the Sabbath as 
well as the day of the month. Indeed their minds 
were not very clear as to the month itself ! 

“ Hows’ever,” said Disco, when this subject after- 
wards came to be discussed, “ it don’t matter much. 
Wot is it that the Scriptur’ says, — ‘ Six days shalt 
thou labour an’ do all that thou hast to do, but the 
seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God. 
In it thou shalt do no work.’ I wos used always to 
stick at that pint w’en my poor mother was a-teachin’ 
of me. Never got past it. But it ’s enough for pre- 
sent use anyhow, for the orders is, work six days an’ 
don’t work the seventh. Werry good, we ’ll begin 
to-day an’ call it Monday ; we ’ll work for six days, 
an’ w’en the seventh day comes we ’ll call it Sunday. 


BLACK IVOR!. 


331 


If it ain’t the right day, we can’t help it ; moreover, 
wot ’s the odds ? It ’s the seventh day, so that to us 
it’ll be the Sabbath.” 

But we anticipate. Harold was still — at the be- 
ginning of this digression — in the delirium of fever, 
though there were symptoms of improvement about 
him. 

One afternoon one of these symptoms was strongly 
manifested in a long, profound slumber. While he 
slept, Disco sat on a low stool beside him, busily 
engaged with a clasp-knife on some species of manu- 
facture, the nature of which was not apparent at a 
glance. 

His admirer, Jumbo, was seated on a stool 
opposite, gazing at him open-mouthed, with a 
countenance that reflected every passing feeling of 
his dusky bosom. 

Both men were so deeply absorbed in their occu- 
pation — Disco in his manufacture, and Jumbo in 
staring at Disco — that they failed for a considerable 
time to observe that Harold had wakened suddenly, 
though quietly, and was gazing at them with a look 
of lazy, easy-going surprise. 

The mariner kept up a running, commentary on 
his work, addressed to Jumbo indeed, but in a quiet 
interjectional manner that seemed to imply that he 
was merely soliloquizing, and did not want or ex- 
pect a reply. 


332 


BLACK IVORY. 


“It’s the most ’stror’nary notion, Jumbo, between 
you and me and the post, that I ever did see. Now, 
then, this here bullet-head wants a pair o’ eyes an* 
a nose on it ; the mouth ’ll do, but it ’s the mouth as 
is most troublesome, for you niggers have got such 
wappin’ muzzles — it ’s quite a caution, as the Yankees 
say” — (a pause) — “ on the whole, however, the nose 
is very difficult to manage on a flat surface, ’cause 
w’y ? — if I leaves it quite flat, it don’t look like a 
nose, an’ if I carves it out ever so little, it’s too 
prominent for a nigger nose. There, ain’t that a 
good head, Jumbo ?” 

Thus directly appealed to, Jumbo nodded his own 
head violently, and showed his magnificent teeth 
from ear to ear, gums included. 

Disco laid down the flat piece of board which he 
had carved into the form of a human head, and took 
up another piece, which was rudely blocked out into 
the form of a human leg — both leg and head being 
as large as life. 

“ Now this limb, Jumbo,” continued Disco, slowly, 
as he whittled away with the clasp-knife vigorously, 
“ is much more troublesome than I would have ex- 
pected ; for you niggers have got such abominably 
ill-shaped legs below the knee. There’s such an 
unnat’ral bend for’ard o’ the shin-bone, an’ such a 

si* / ' * 

rediklous sticking out o’ the heel astarn, d ’ee see, 
that a feller with white-man notions has to make a 


BLACK IVORY. 


333 


study of it if he sets up for a artist ; in course, if he 
don’t set up for a artist, any sort o’ shape ’ll do, for 
it don’t affect the jumpin’. Ha ! there they go,” he 
exclaimed, with a humorous smile at a hearty shout 
of laughter which was heard just outside the hut, 
“enjoyin’ the old ’un ; but it’s nothin’ to wot the 
noo ’un ’ll be wfe it ’s finished.” 

At this exhibition of amusement on the counte- 
nance of his friend, Jumbo threw back his head 
and again showed not only his teeth and gums 
but the entire inside of his mouth, and chuckled 
softly from the region of his breast-bone. 

“ I ’m dreaming, of course,” thought Harold, and 
shut his eyes. 

Poor fellow ! he was very weak, and the mere act 
of shutting his eyes induced a half-slumber. He 
awoke again in a few minutes, and re-opening his 
eyes, beheld the two men still sitting and occupied 
as before. 

“ It is a wonderfully pertinacious dream,” thought 
Harold. “ I ’ll try to dissipate it.” 

Thinking thus, he called out aloud, — 

“ I say, Disco !” 

“ Hallo ! that’s uncommon like the old tones,” 
exclaimed the seaman, dropping his knife and the 
leg of wood as he looked anxiously at his friend. 

“ What old tones ? ” asked Harold. 

“ The tones of your voice,” said Disco. 


334 


BLACK IVORY. 


“ Have they changed so much of late ?” inquired 
Harold in surprise. 

“ Have they ? I should think they have, just. 
W’y, you haven’t spoke like that, sir, for — but/ 
surely — are you better, or is this on’y another dodge 
o’ yer madness ?” asked Disco with a troubled look. 

“Ah! I sunnose I’ve been delirious, have I?” 
said Harold with a faint smile. 

To this Disco replied that he had not only been 
delirious, but stark staring mad, and expressed a 
very earnest hope that, now he had got his senses 
hauled taut again, he’d belay them an’ make all 
fast, for if he didn’t, it was his, Disco’s opinion, that 
another breeze o’ the same kind would blow em all 
to ribbons. 

“ Moreover,” continued Disco, firmly, “ you ’re not 
to talk. I once nursed a messmate through a fever, 
an’ I remember that the doctor wos werry partikler 
w’en he began to come round, in orderin’ him to 
hold his tongue an’ keep quiet.” 

“ You are right, Disco. I will keep quiet, but 
you must first tell me what you are about, for it has 
roused my curiosity, and I can’t rest till I know.” 

“ Well, sir, I ’ll tell you, but don’t go for to make 
no obsarvations on it. Just keep your mouth shut 
an’ yer ears open, an’ I ’ll do all the jawin’. Well, 
you must know, soon after jg>u w^s, took bad, I 
felt as if I’d like some sort, o’ oMpalion w’en sittiu’ 


BLACK IVORY. 


335 


here watchin’ of you — Jumbo an’ me ’s bin takin’ 
the watch time about, for Antony isn’t able to hold 
a boy, much less you w’en you gits obstropolous — 
Well, sir, I had took a sort o’ fancy for Yambo’s 
youngest boy, for he ’s a fine, brave little shaver, he 
is, an’ I thought I ’d make him some sort o’ toy, an’ 
it struck me that the thing as u’d please him most 
’ud be a jumpin’-jack, so I set to an’ made him one 
about a futt high. 

“ You never see such a face o’ joy as that youngster 
put on, sir, w’en I took it to him an’ pulled the string. 
He give a little squeak of delight, he did, tuk it in his 
hands, an’ ran home to show it to his mother. Well, 
sir, wot d’ee think, the poor boy come back soon 
after blubberin’ an’ sobbin’, as nat’ral as if he ’d bin 
an English boy, an’ says he to Tony, says he, 
‘ Father’s bin an’ took it away from me !’ I wos 
surprised at this, an’ went right off to see about it, 
an’ w’en I come to Yambo’s hut, wot does I see but 
the chief pullin’ the string o’ the jumpin’-jack, an’ 
grinnin’ an’ sniggerin’ like a blue-faced baboon in a 
passion — his wife likewise standin’ by holdin’ her 
sides wi’ laughin’. Well, sir, the moment I goes in, 
up gits the chief an’ shouts for Tony, an’ tells him 
to tell me that I must make him a jumpin’-jack ! 
In course I says I ’d do it with all the pleasure in 
life ; and he says that I must make it full size, as 
big as his-self ! I opened my eyes at this, but he 


336 


BLACK IVORY. 


said he must have a thing that was fit for a man — 
a chief — so there was nothin’ for it but to set to 
work. An’ it worn’t. difficult to manage neither, for 
they supplied me with slabs o’ timber an inch thick, 
an’ I soon blocked out the body an’ limbs with a 
hatchet, an’ polished ’em off with my knife, and then 
put ’em together. W’en the big jack wos all right 
Yaipbo took it away, for he ’d watched me all the 
time I wos at it, an’ fixed it up to the branch of a 
tree an’ set to work. 

“ I never, no I never, did,” continued Disco, slap- 
ping his right thigh, while Jumbo grinned in 
sympathy, “ see sitch a big baby as Yambo became 
w’en he got that monstrous jumpin’ -jack into 
action — with his courtiers all round him, their faces 
blazin’ with surprise, or conwulsed wi?k laughter. 
The chief his- self was too hard at work to laugh 
much. He could only glare an’ grin, for, big an’ 
strong though he is, the jack wos so awful heavy 
that it took all his wejght an’ muscle haulin’ on the 
rope which okipied the place o’ the string that 
we ’re used to. 

“ ‘ Haul away, my hearty,’ thought I, w’en I seed 
him heavin’, bio win’, an’ swettin’ at the jack’s hal- 
yards, 4 you ’ll not break that rope in a hurry.’ 

“ But I was wrong, sir, for, although the halyards 
held on all right, I had not calkilated on such wiolent 
action at the joints. All of a sudden off comes a 


BLACK IVORY. 


337 


leg at the knee. It was goin’ the up^d kick at 
the time, an* went up like a rocket, slap through a 
troop o’ monkeys that was lookin’ on aloft, which it 
scattered like foam in a gale. Yambo didn’t seem 
to care a pinch o’ snuff. His blood was up. The 
sweat was runnin’ off him like rain. ‘ Hi !’ cries he, 
givin’ another most awful tug. But it wasn’t high 
that time, for the other leg came off at the hip-jint 
on the down kick, an’ went straight into the buzzum 
of a black warrior an’ floored him wuss than he ever 
wos floored since he took to fightin’. Yambo didn’t 
care for that either. He gave another haul with all 
his- might which proved too much for jack without 
his legs, for it threw his arms out with such force 
that they jammed hard an’ fast as if the poor critter 
howlin’ for mercy ! 

“Yambo looked awful blank at this. Then he 
turned sharp round an’ looked at me for all the 
world as if he meant to say ‘wot d’ee mean by that ? 
eh!’ 

“ He shouldn’t ought to lick into him like that,’ 
says I to Tony, ‘ the figure ain’t made to be druv 
by a six-horse power steam-engine ! But tell him 
I’ll fix it up with jints that’ll stand pullin’ by an 
elephant, and I ’ll make him another jack to the full 
as big as that one an’ twice as strong.’ 

“This,” added Disco in conclusion, taking up 
the head on which he had been engaged, “ is the noo 
Y 


338 


BLACK IVORY. 


jack. The old un’s outside working away at this 
moment like a windmill. Listen; don’t ’ee hear 
’em ?” 

Harold listened and found no difficulty in hearing 
them, for peals of laughter and shrieks of delight 
burst forth every few minutes, apparently from a 
vast crowd outside the hut. 

“ I do believe,” said Disco, rising and going 
towards the door of the hut, “ that you can see ’em 
from where you lay.” 

He drew aside the skin doorway as he spoke, and 
there, sure enough, was the gigantic jumping-jack 
hanging from the limb of a tree, clearly defined 
against the sky, and galvanically kicking about its 
vast limbs, with Yambo pulling fiercely at the tail, 
and the entire tribe looking on steeped in ecstasy 
and admiration. 

It may easily be believed that the sight of this, 
coupled with Disco’s narrative, was almost too much 
for Harold’s nerves, and for some time he exhibited, 
to Disco’s horror, a tendency to repeat some antics 
which would have been much more appropriate to 
the jumping-jack, but after a warm drink ad- 
ministered by his faithful though rough nurse, he 
became composed, and finally dropped into a plea- 
sant sleep, which was not broken till late the 
following morning. 

Refreshed in body, happy in mind, and thankful 



% 



Y AMBO’S JUMPING-JACK.— Page 338. 















( 


BLACK IVORY. 


339 


in spirit, he rose to feel that the illness against which 
he had fought for many days was conquered, and 
that, although still very weak, he had fairly turned 
the corner, and had begun to regain some of his 
wonted health and vigour. 


f 


340 BLACK IVORY. 


/ 


CHAPTER XX. 

HAROLD APPEARS IN A NEW CHARACTER, AND TWO OLD CHARACTERS 
RE-APPEAR TO HAROLD. 

The mind of Yambo was a strange compound — a 
curious mixture of gravity and rollicking joviality ; 
at one time displaying a phase of intense solemnity ; 
at another exhibiting quiet pleasantry and humour ; 
but earnestness was the prevailing trait of his 
character. Whether indulging his passionate fond- 
ness for the jumping-jack, or engaged in guiding the 
deliberations of his counsellors, the earnest chief - 
was equally devoted to the work in hand. Being a 
savage — and, consequently, led entirely by feeling, 
which is perhaps the chief characteristic of savage, 
as distinguished from civilized, man, — he hated his 
enemies with exceeding bitterness, and loved his 
friends with all his heart. 

Yambo was very tender to Harold during his 
illness, and the latter felt corresponding gratitude, 
so that there sprang up between the two a closer 
friendship than one could have supposed to be 
possible, considering that they were so different 


BLACK IVORY. 


341 


from each other, mentally, physically, and socially, 
and that their only mode of exchanging ideas was 
through the medium of a very incompetent inter- 
preter. 

Among other things Harold discovered that his 
friend the chief was extremely fond of anecdotes and 
stories. He, therefore, while in a convalescent 
state and unable for much physical exercise, amused 
himself and spent much of his time in narrating to 
him the adventures of Eobinson Crusoe. Yambo’s 
appetite for mental food increased, and when 
Crusoe’s tale was finished he eagerly demanded 
more. Some of his warriors also came to hear, and 
at last the hut was unable to contain the audiences 
that wished to enter. Harold, therefore, removed to 
an open space under a banyan-tree, and there daily, 
for several hours, related all the tales and narratives 
with which he was acquainted to the hundreds of 
open-eyed and open-mouthed negroes who squatted 
around him. 

At first he selected such tales as he thought 
would be likely to amuse, but these being soon ex- 
hausted, he told them about anything that chanced 
to recur to his memory. Then, finding that their 
power to swallow the marvellous was somewhat 
crocodilish, he gave them Jack the Giant-killer, and 
Jack of Beanstalk notoriety, and Tom Thumb, 
Cinderella, etc., until his entire nursery stock was 


342 


BLACK IVOKY. 


exhausted, after which he fell back on his inventive 
powers; but the labour of this last effort proving 
very considerable, and the results not being ade- 
quately great, he took to history, and told them 
stories about William Tell, and Wallace, and Bruce, 
and the Puritans of England, and the Scottish 
Covenanters, and the discoveries of Columbus, until 
the eyes and mouths of his black auditors were held 
so constantly and widely on the stretch, that Disco 
began to fear they would become gradually incap- 
able of being shut, and he entertained a fear that 
poor Antonio’s tongue would, ere long, be dried-up 
at the roots. 

At last a thought occurred to our hero, which 
he promulgated to Disco, one morning as they 
were seated at breakfast on the floor of their 
hut. 

“It seems to me, Disco,” he said, after a pro- 
longed silence, during which they had been busily 
engaged with their knives and wooden spoons, “ that 
illness maust be sent, sometimes, to teach men that 
they give too little of their thoughts to the future 
world.” 

“ Werry true, sir,” replied Disco, in that quiet 
matter-of-course tone with which men generally re- 
ceive axiomatic verities ; l f we is raither given to be 
swallered up with this world, which ain’t surprisin’ 
neither, seein’ that we ’ve bin putt into it and are 


BLACK IVORY. 


343 


surrounded by it, mixed up with it, steeped in it, so 
to speak, an’ can ’t werry well help ourselves.^ 

“ That last is just the point I ’m not quite so sure 
about,” rejoined Harold. “ Since I Ve been lying 
ill here, I have thought a good deal about forget- 
ting to bring a. Bible with me, and about the mean- 
ing of the term Christian, which name I bear ; and 
yet I can't, when I look honestly at it, see that I 
do much to -deserve the name.” 

“Well, I don't quite see that, sir,” said Disco, 
with an argumentative curl of his right eyebrow ; 
“you doesn't swear, or drink, or steal, or commit 
murder, an’c(a many other things o’ that sort. Ain’t 
that the result o’ your being a Christian.” 

“ It may be .so, Disco, but that is only what may 
be styled the - don't side of the question. What 
troubles me is, that I don’t see much on the do side 
of it.” 

“ You says your prayers, sir, don’t you ?” asked 
Disco, with the air of a man who had put a telling 
question. 

“ Well, yes,” replied Harold ; “ but what troubles 
me is that while in my creed I profess to think the 
salvation of souls is of such vital importance, in my 
practice I seem to say that it is of no importance at 
all, for here have I been, for many weeks, amongst 
these black fellows, and have never so much as 
mentioned the name of our Saviour to them, al- 


344 


BLACK IVORY. 


though I have been telling them no end of stories of 
all kinds, both -true and fanciful.” 

“ There ’s* something in that, sir,” admitted Disco. 
Harold also thought- there was so much in it that he 
gave the subject a great deal of earnest -considera- 
tion, and finally resolved to begin to tell the negroes 
Bible stories. He was thus gradually led to tell 
them that “old, old story” of God the Saviour’s 
life and death, and love for man, which he found 
interested, affected, and influenced the savages far 
more powerfully than any of the tales, whether true 
or fanciful, with which he had previously enter- 
tained them. While doing this a new spirit seemed 
to actuate himself, and to influence his whole being. 

While Harold was thus led, almost unconsciously, 
to become a sower of the blessed seed of God’s Word, 
Marizano was working his way through the country, 
setting forth, in the most extreme manner, the ulti- 
mate results of man’s sinful nature, and the devil’s 
lies. 

One of his first deeds was to visit a village 
which was beautifully situated on the banks of a 
small but deep river. In order to avoid alarming 
the inhabitants, he approached it with only about 
thirty of his men, twenty of whom were armed. 
Arrived at the outskirts, he halted his armed men, 
and advanced with the other ten, calling out cheer- 
fully, “We have things for sale ! have you any- 


BLACK IVORY. 


345 


thing to sell V* The chief and his warriors, armed 
with their bows and arrows and shields, met him, 
and forbade him to pass within the hedge that en- 
circled the village, but told him to sit down under a 
tree outside. A mat of split reeds was placed for 
Marizano to sit on ; and when he had explained to 
the chief that the object of his visit was to trade 
with him for ivory-^-in proof of which he pointed 
to the bales which his men carried, — he was well 
received, and a great clapping of hands ensued. 
Presents were then . exchanged, and more clapping 
of hands took place, for this was considered the 
appropriate ceremony. The chief and his warriors 
on sitting down before Marizano and his men 
clapped their hands together, and continued slap- 
ping on their thighs while handing their presents, 
or when receiving those of their visitors. It was 
the African “thank you.” To have omitted it 
would have been considered very bad manners. 

Soon a brisk trade was commenced, in which the 
entire community became ere long deeply and 
eagerly absorbed. 

Meanwhile Marizano’s armed men were allowed 
to come forward. The women prepared food for the 
strangers ; and after they had eaten and drunk of 
the native beer heartily, Marizano asked the chief 
if he had ever seen fire-arms used. 

“Yes,” replied the chief, “but only once at a 


346 


BLACK IVORY. 


great distance off. It is told to me that your guns 
kill very far off — much further than our hows. Is 
that so ?” 

“It is true,” replied Marizano, who was very 
merry by this time under the influence of the beer, 
as, indeed, were also his men and their entertainers. 
“ Would you like to see what our guns can do ?” 
asked the half-caste. “If you will permit me, I 
shall let you hear and see them in use ?” 

The unsuspecting chief at once gave his consent. 
His visitors rose ; Marizano gave the . word ; a 
volley was poured forth which - instantly killed the 
chief and twenty of his men. The survivors fled 
in horror. The young women and children were 
seized ; the village was sacked — which means that 
the old and useless members of the community were 
murdered in cold blood, and the place was set on 
fire — and Marizano marched away with his band of 
captives considerably augmented, leaving a scene of 
death and horrible desolation behind him . 1 

Thus did that villain walk through the land with 
fire and sword procuring slaves for the supply of the 
“ domestic institution ” of the Sultan of Zanzibar. 

By degrees the murderer’s drove of black “ cattle ” 
increased to such an extent that when he approached 
the neighbourhood of the village in which Harold 
and Disco sojourned, he began to think that he had 

1 See Livingstone's Zambesi and its Tributaries , pages 201, 202. 


BLACK IVORY. 


347 


obtained about as. many as he could conveniently 
manage, and meditated turning his face eastward, 
kittle dreaming how near he was to a thousand 
dollars* worth of property in the shape of ransom 
for two white men i 

He was on the point of turning back and missing 
this when he chanced to fall in with a villager who 
was out hunting, and who, after a hot chase, was 
captured. This man was made much of, and pre- 
sented with some yards of cloth as well as a few 
beads, at the same time being assured that he had 
nothing to fear; that the party was merely a slave- 
trading one ; that the number of slaves required had 
been made up, but that a few more would be purchased 
if the chief of his village had any to dispose of. 

On learning from the man that his village was a 
large one, fully two days* march from the spot where 
he stood, and filled with armed men, Marizano came 
to the -conclusion that it would not be worth his 
while to proceed thither, and was about to order 
his informant to be added to his gang with a slave- 
stick round his neck, when he suddenly bethought 
him of inquiring as to whether 'any white men had 
been seen in these parts. As he had often made the 
same inquiry before without obtaining any satisfac- 
tory answer, it was with great surprise that he now 
heard from his captive of two white men being in the 
very village about which he had been conversing. 


348 


BLACK IVORY. 


At once he -changed his plan, resumed his march, 
and, a couple of days afterwards, presented himself 
before the astonished eyes of Harold Seadrift and 
Disco Lillihammer, while they were taking a walk 
about a mile from the village. 

Disco recognised the slave-trader at once, and, 
from the troubled as well as surprised look of Mari- 
zano, it was pretty evident that he remembered the 
countenance of Disco. 

When the recollection of Marizano’s cruelty at 
the time of their first meeting flashed upon him, 
Disco felt an almost irresistible desire to rush upon 
and strangle the Portuguese, but the calm deport- 
ment of that wily man, and the peaceful manner in 
which he had approached, partly disarmed his wrath. 
He could not, however, quite restrain his tongue. 

“Ha !” said he, “you are the blackguard that we 
met and pretty nigh shot when we first came to 
these parts, eh ? Pity we missed you, you black- 
hearted villain !” 

As Marizano did not understand English, these 
complimentary remarks were lost on him. He 
seemed, however, to comprehend the drift of them, 
for he returned Discos frown with a stare of 
defiance. 

“ Whatever he was, or whatever he is,” interposed 
Harold, “we must restrain ourselves just now, Disco, 
because we cannot punish him as he deserves, how- 


BLACK IVORY. 


349 


ever much we may. wish to, and he seems to have 
armed men enough to, put -us and our entertainers 
completely in his^power. Keep quiet while I speak 
to him.” 

Jumbo and Antonio, armed with bows and ar- 
rows, — for they were in search of small game where- 
with to supply the pot, came up, looking very much 
surprised, and the latter a good deal frightened. 

“Ask him, Antonio,” said Harold, “what is his 
object in visiting this part of fcfee country.” 

“ To procure slaves,” said Marizano, curtly. 

“ I thought so,” returned Harold ; “but he will find 
that the men of this tribe are not easily overcome.” 

“ I do not wish to_overcome them,” said the half- 
caste. “ I have procured enough of slaves, as you 
see ” (pointing to the gang which was halted some 
hundred yards or so in rear of his armed men), 
;f but I heard that you were prisoners here, and I 
have come to prove to you that even a slave-trader 
can return. good for evil. You did this,” he said, 
looking at Disco, and pointing to his old wound in 
the arm ; “ I now come to deliver you from slavery.” 

Having suppressed part of the truth, and supple- 
mented the rest of it with this magnificent lie, 
Marizano endeavoured to look magnanimous. 

“I don’t believe a word of it,” said Disco, de- 
cidedly. 

“ I incline to doubt it too,” said Harold ; “ but he 


350 


BLACK IVORY. 


may have some good reason of his own for his 
friendly professions towards us. In any case we 
have no resource left but to assume that he speaks 
the truth.” 

Turning to Marizano, he said : — 

“We are not prisoners here. We are guests of 
the chief of this village.” 

“In that case,” replied the half-caste, “I can 
return to the coast without you.” 

As he said this » large band of the villagers, 
having discovered that strangers had arrived, drew 
near. • Marizano at once advanced, making peaceful 
demonstrations, and, after the requisite amount of 
clapping of hands on both sides, stated the object 
for which he had come. He made no attempt to 
conceal the fact that he was a slave-trader, but said 
that, having purchased enough of slaves, he had 
visited their village because of certain rumours to 
the effect that some white men had been lost in 
these regions, and could not find their way back to 
the coast. He was anxious, he said, to help these 
white men to do so, but, finding that the white men 
then at the village were not the men he was in 
search of, and did not want to go to the coast, he 
would just stay long enough with the chief to ex- 
change compliments, and then depart. 

All this was translated to the white men in ques- 
tion by their faithful ally Antonio, and when they 


BLACK ivory. 


351 


retired to consult as to what should be done, they 
looked at each other with half amused and half 
perplexed expressions of countenance. 

“ Werry odd,” said Disco, “how contrairy things 
turns up at times ! ” 

“Very odd indeed,” assented Harold, laughing. 
“ It is quite true that we are, in one sense, lost, and 
utterly unable to undertake a journey through this 
country without men, means, or arms ; and nothing 
could be more fortunate than that we should have 
the chance thus suddenly thrown in our way of 
. travelling under the escort of a band of armed men ; 
nevertheless, I cannot bear the idea of travelling 
with or being indebted to a slave-trader and a 
scoundrel like Marizano.” 

“ That 's w’ere it is, sir,” said Disco with emphasis, 
“ I could stand anything a’most but that.” 

“ And yet,” pursued Harold, t “ it is our only 
chance. I see quite well that we may remain 
for years here without again having such an 
opportunity or such an escort thrown in our 
way.” 

“ There's no help for it, I fear,” said Disco. “We 
must take it like a dose o’ nasty physic — hold our 
nobs, shut our daylights, an’ down with it. The 
only thing I ain't sure of is your ability to travel 
You ain’t strong yet.” 

“ Oh, I'm strong enough now, or very nearly so, 




352 BLACK 1V0KY. 

and getting stronger every day. Well, then, I sup- 
pose it’s settled that we go ? ” 

“ Humph ! I’m agreeable, an’ the whole business 
werry disagreeable” said Disco, making a wry face. 

Marizano was much pleased when the decision of 
the white men was made known to him, and the 
native chief was naturally much distressed, for, not 
only was he about to lose two men of -whom he had 
become very fond, but he was on the point of being 
bereft of his story-teller, the opener up of his mind, 
the man who above all others had taught him to 
think about his Maker and a future state. 

He had sense enough, however, to perceive that 
his guests could not choose but avail themselves 
of so good an opportunity, and, after the first feeling 
of regret was , over, made up his mind to the 
separation. 

Next day Harold and Disco, with feelings of 
strong revulsion, almost of shame, fell into the 
ranks of the slave-gang, and for many days there- 
after marched through the land in company with 
Marizano and his band of lawless villains. 

Marizano usually walked some distance ahead of 
the main body with a few trusty comrades. Our 
adventurers, with their two followers, came next in 
order of march, the gang of slaves in single file 
followed, and the armed men brought up the rear 
U was necessarily a very long line, and at a dis- 


( 


BLACK IVORY. 


353 


tance resembled some hideous reptile crawling slowly 
and tortuously through the fair fields and plains of 
Africa. 

At first there were no stragglers, for the slaves 
were as yet, with few exceptions, strong and 
vigorous. These, exceptions, and the lazy, were 
easily kept in the line by means of rope and chain 
as well as the rod and lash. 

Harold and Disco studiously avoided their leader 
during the march. Marizano fell in with their 
humour and left them to themselves. At nights 
they made their own fire and cooked their own 
supper as far removed from the slave camp as was 
consistent with safety, for they could not bear to 
witness the sufferings of the slaves, or to look upon 
their captors. Even the food that they were con- 
strained to eat appeared to have a tendency to 
choke them, and altogether their situation became 
so terrible that they several times almost formed 
the desperate resolution of leaving the party and 
trying to reach the coast by themselves as they best 
might, but the utter madness and hopelessness of 
such a project soon forced itself on their minds, and 
insured its being finally abandoned. 

One morning Marizano threw off his usual reserve, 
and,, approaching the white, men, told them that in 
two hours they would reach the lake where his 
employer was encamped. 

z 


354 


BLACK IVORY. 


“ And who is your master ? ” asked Harold. 

“ A black-faced or yellow- faced blackguard like 
himself, I doubt not,” growled Disco. 

Antonio put Harold’s question without Disco’s 
comment, and Marizano replied that -his master was 
an Arab trader, and added that he would push on 
in advance of the party and inform him of their 
approach. 

Soon afterwards the lake was reached- A large 
dhow was in readiness, the gang was embarked and 
ferried across to a place where several rude build- 
ings and barracoons, with a few tents, indicated that 
it was one of the inland headquarters of the trade 
in Black Ivory. 

The moment our travellers landed Marizano led 
them to one of the nearest buildings and introduced 
them to his master. 

“ Yoosoof ! ” exclaimed Disco in a shout of aston- 
ishment. 

It would have been a difficult question to have 
decided which of the three faces displayed the most 
extreme surprise. Perhaps Disco’s would have been 
awarded the palm, but Yoosoof was undoubtedly the 
first to regain his self-possession. 

“ You be surprised,” he said, in his very broken 
English, while his pale-yellow visage resumed its 
placid gravity of expression. 

“ Undoubtedly we are,” said Harold. 


BLACK IVORY. 


355 


“ Bu’stin’ l n exclaimed Disco. 

“ You would be not so mush surprised, — did you 
know dat I comes to here every year, an’ dat Engleesh 
consul ask me for 'quire about you.” 

“ If that be- so, how comes it that you were sur- 
prised to see us ? ” asked Harold. 

“ ’Cause why, I only knows dat some white mans 
be loss theirselfs — not knows what mans — not 
knows it was you.” 

“Well now,” cried Disco, unable to restrain him- 
self as he turned to Harold, “ did ever two unfortnits 
meet wi’ si&£T luck ? Here have we bin’ obliged 
for days to keep company with the greatest Por- 
tugee villian in the country, an’ now we’re-need- 
cessitated to be under a obligation to the greatest 
Arab scoundrel in Afriky.” 

The scoundrel in question smiled and shrugged 
his shoulders. 

“Yoosoof,” cried Disco, clenching his fist and 
looking full in the trader’s eyes, “ when I last saw 
yer ugly face, I vowed that if ever I seed it again 
I’d leave my mark on it pretty deep, I did; and 
now I does see it again, but I haven’t the moral 
courage to touch sitch a poor, pitiful, shrivelled- 
up package o’ bones an’ half-tanned leather. More- 
over, I’m goin’ to be indebted to ’ee! Ha! ha!” 
(he laughed bitterly, and with a dash of wild humour 
in the tone), “ to travel under yer care, an’ eat yer 


356 


BLACK IVORY. 


accursed, bread and — and — oh !- there ain’t no sitch 
thing as ishame left in my. corpus. I’m a'itfw 
mean-spirited boastful idiot, that’s wot I am, an’ I 
don’t care the fag-end of a hunk o’ gingerbread who 
knows it.” 

After this explosion the sorely tried .mariner 
brought his right hand down on his thigh with a 
tremendous crack, turned about and walked away 
to cool himself. 


t 


BLACK IVORY. 


357 



CHAPTER XXL 

PROGRESS OP THE SLAVE-GANG — THE DEADLY SWAMP, AND THE 
UNEXPECTED RESCUE. 

We will now -leap over a short period of time — 
about two or three weeks — during which the sable 
procession had been winding its weary way over hill 
and dale, plain and swamp. 

During that comparatively brief period Harold 
and Disco had seen so much cruelty and ’suffering 
that they both felt a strange tendency to believe 
that the whole must be the wild imaginings of a 
horrible dream. Perhaps weakness, resulting from 
illness, might have had something to do with this 
peculiar feeling of unbelief, for both had been subject 
to a second though slight attack of fever. Neverthe- 
less, coupled with their scepticism was a contra- 
dictory and dreadful certainty that they were not 
dreaming, but that what they witnessed was absolute 
verity. 

It is probable that if they had been in their 
ordinary health and vigour they would have made a 
violent attempt to rescue the slaves, even at the 


358 


BLACK IVORY. 


cost of their own lives. But severe and prolonged 
illness often unhinges the mind as well as the body, 
and renders the spirit all but impotent. 

One sultry evening the sad procession came to a 
long stretch of swamp and prepared to cross it. 
Although already thinned by death, the slave gang 
was large. It numbered several hundreds, and was 
led by Marizano ; Yoosoof having started some days 
in advance in charge of a similar gang. 

Harold and Disco were by that time in the habit 
of walking together in front of the gang, chiefly for 
the purpose of avoiding the sight of cruelties and 
woes which they were powerless to prevent or 
assuage. On reaching the edge of the swamp, how- 
ever, they felt so utterly wearied and dis-spirited 
that they sat down on a bank to rest, intending to 
let the slave-gang go into the swamp before them 
and then follow in rear. Antonio and Jumbo also 
remained with them. 

“You should go on in front,” said Marizano 
significantly, on observing their intention. 

“Tell him we’ll remain where we are,” said 
Disco sternly to Antonio. 

Marizano shrugged his shoulders and left them. 

The leading men of the slave-gang were ordered 
to advance, as soon as the armed guard had com- 
menced the toilsome march over ground into which 
they sank knee-deep at every step. 


BLACK IVORY. 


359 


The first man of the gang hesitated and heaved 
a deep sigh as though his heart failed him at the 
prospect — and well it might, for, although young, he 
was not robust, and over-driving, coupled with the 
weight and the chafing of the goree, had worn him 
to a skeleton. 

It was not the policy of the slave-traders to take 
much care of their Black Ivory. They procured 
it so cheaply that it was easier and more profitable 
to lose or cast away some of it than to put off time 
in resting and recruiting the weak. 

The moment it was observed,, therefore, that the 
leading man hesitated, one of the drivers gave him a 
slash across his naked back with a heavy whip 
which at once drew blood. Poor wretch ; he could 
ill bear further loss of the precious stream of life, 
for it had already been deeply drained from him by 
the slave-stick. The chafing of that instrument of 
torture had not only worn the skin off his shoulders 
but had cut into the quivering flesh, so that blood 
constantly dropped in small quantities from it. 

No cry burst from the man’s lips on receiving the 
cruel blow, but he turned his eyes on his captors 
with a look that seemed to implore for mercy. As 
well might he have looked for mercy at the hands of 
Satan. The lash again fell on him with stinging 
force. He made a feeble effort to advance, staggered 
and fell to the ground dragging down the man to 


360 


BLACK IVORY. 


whom he was coupled with such violence as almost 
to break his neck. The lash was again about to be 
applied to make him rise, but Disco and Harold 
rose simultaneously and rushed at the driver, with 
what intent they scarcely knew; but four armed 
half-castes stepped between them and the slave. 

“You had better not interfere,” said Marizano, 
who stood close by. 

“Out of the way !” cried Harold fiercely, in the 
strength of his passion hurling aside the man who 
opposed him. 

“You shan’t give him another cut,” said Disco 
between his teeth, as he seized the driver by the 
throat. 

“We don’t intend to do so,” said Marizano coolly, 
while the driver released himself from poor Disco’s 
weakened grasp, “ he won’t need any more.” 

The Englishmen required no explanation of these 
words. A glance told them that the man was 
dying. 

“ Cut him out,” said Marizano. 

One of his men immediately brought a saw and 
cut the fork of the stick which still held the living 
to the dying man, and which, being riveted on them, 
could not otherwise be removed. 

Harold and Disco lifted him up as soon as he 
was free, and carrying him a short distance aside to 
a soft part of the bank, laid him gently down. 


BLACK IVORY. 


361 


The dying slave looked as if he were surprised at 
such unwonted tenderness. There was even a slight 
smile on his lips for a few moments, but it quickly 
passed away with the fast ebbing tide of life. 

“ Go fetch some water,” said Harold. “ His lips 
are dry.” 

Disco rose and ran to fill a small cocoa-nut-shell 
which he carried at his girdle as a drinking-cup. 
Returning with it he moistened the man’s lips and 
poured a little of the cool water on the raw sores on 
each side of his neck. 

They were so much engrossed with their occupa- 
tion that neither of them observed that the slave- 
gang had commenced to pass through the swamp, 
until the sharp cry of a child drew their attention 
to it for a moment ; but, knowing that they could do 
no good, they endeavoured to shut their eyes and 
ears to everything save the duty they had in hand. 

By degrees the greater part of the long line had 
got into the swamp and were slowly toiling through 
it under the stimulus of the lash. Some r like the 
poor fellow who first fell, had sunk under their accu- 
mulated trials, and after a fruitless effort on the part 
of the slavers to drive them forward, had been 
kicked aside into the jungle, there to die, or to be 
torn in pieces by that ever- watchful scavenger of 
the wilderness, the hyena. These were chiefly 
women, who having become mothers not long before, 


362 


BLACK IVORY. 


were unable to carry their infants and keep up with 
the gang. Others, under the intense dread of flagel- 
lation, made the attempt and staggered on a short 
distance only to fall and be left behind in the pesti- 
lential swamp, where rank reeds and grass closed 
over them and formed a ready grave. 

The difficulties of the swamp were, however, felt 
most severely by the children, who, from little 
creatures of not much more than five years of age 
to well-grown boys and girls, were mingled with 
and chained to the adults along the line. Their 
comparatively short legs were not well adapted for 
such ground, and not a few of them perished there ; 
but although the losses here were terribly numerous 
in one sense, they after all bore but a small pro- 
portion to those whose native vigour carried them 
through in safety. 

Among the men there were some whose strength 
of frame and fierce expression indicated untameable 
spirits — men who might have been, probably were, 
heroes among their fellows. It was for men of this 
stamp that the goree, or slave-stick, had been in- 
vented, and most effectually did that instrument 
serve its purpose. Samson himself would have been 
a mere child in it. 

There were men in the gang quite as bold, if not 
as strong, as Samson. One of these, a very tall and 
powerful negro, on drawing near to the place where 


BLACK IVORY. 


363 


Marizano stood superintending the passage, turned 
suddenly aside, and, although coupled by the neck 
to a fellow-slave, and securely bound at the wrists 
with a cord, which was evidently cutting into his 
swelled flesh, made a desperate kick at the half- 
caste leader. 

Although the slave failed to reach him, Marizano 
was so enraged that he drew a hatchet from his belt 
and instantly dashed out the man’s brains. He fell 
dead without^even a groan. Terrified by this, the 
rest passed on more rapidly, and there was no further 
check till a woman in the line, with an. infant pn 
her back, stumbled, and, falling down, appeared 
unable to rise. 

“ Get up J” shouted Marizano, whose rage had 
rather been increased than abated by the murder 
he had just committed. 

The woman rose and attempted to advance, but 
seemed ready to fall again. Seeing this, Marizano 
plucked the infant from her back, dashed it against 
a tree, and flung its quivering body into the jungle, 
while a terrible application of the lash sent the 
mother shrieking into the swamp . 1 

Harold and Disco did not. witness this, though 

1 See Livingstone’s Zambesi and its Tributaries, p. 357 ; and for a 
record of cruelties too horrible to be set down in a book like this, we 
refer the reader to M'Leod’s Travels in Eastern Africa, vol. ii. p. 26. 
Also to 'the Appendix of Captain Sulivan’s Dhow Chasing in Zanzibar 
Waters, which contains copious and interesting extracts from evidence 
taken before the Select Committee of the House of Commons. 


364 


BLACK IVORY. 


they heard the shriek of despair, for at the moment 
the negro they were tending was breathing his last. 
When his eyes had closed and the spirit had been 
set free, they rose, and, purposely refraining from 
looking back, hurried away from the dreadful scene, 
intending to plunge into the swamp at some dis- 
tance from the place, and push on until they should 
regain the head of the column. 

“ Better if we ’d never fallen behind, sir,” said 
Disco, in a deep, tremulous voice. 

“ True,” replied Harold. “We should have been 
spared these sights, and the pain of knowing that we 
cannot prevent this appalling misery and cruelty.” 

“ But surely it is to be prevented somehow,” cried 
Disco, almost fiercely. “ Many a war that has cost 
mints o’ money has been carried on for causes that 
ain’t worth mentionin’ in the same breath with this !V 

As Harold knew not what to say, and was toiling 
knee-deep in the swamp at the moment, he made 
no reply. 

After marching about half an hour he stopped 
abruptly and said, with a heavy sigh, — 

“ I hope we haven’t missed our way ?” 

“ Hope not, sir, but it looks like as if we had. 
I ’ve bin so took up thinkin’ o’ that accursed traffic 
in human bein’s that I ’ve lost my reckonin’. Hows- 
ever, ye can’t be far out, an’, with the sun to guide 
us, we ’ll — ” 


BLACK IVORY. 


365 


He was stopped by a loud halloo in the woods, 
on the belt of the swamp. 

It was repeated in a few seconds, and Antonio, 
who, with Jumbo, had followed his master, cried in 
an excited tone, — 

“ Me knows dat sound !” 

" Wot may it be, Tony ?” asked Disco. 

There was neither time nor need for an answer, 
for at that moment a ringing cry, something like a 
bad imitation of a British cheer, was heard, and a 
band of men sprang out of the woods and ran at full 
speed towards our Englishmen. 

“ Why, Zombo !” exclaimed Disco, wildly. 

“ Oliveira ! ” cried Harold. 

“ Masiko ! Songolo !” shouted Antonio and Jumbo. 

“ An’ Jose, Nakoda, Chimbolo, Mabruki ! — the 
whole bilin’ of ’em/' cried Disco, as one after another 
these worthies emerged from the wood and rushed 
in a state of frantic excitement towards their friends 
— “ Hooray !” 

“ Hooroo-hay !” replied the runners. 

In another minute our adventurous party of tra- 
vellers was re-united, and for some time nothing 
but wild excitement, congratulations, queries that 
got no replies, and replies that ran tilt at irrelevant 
queries, with confusion worse confounded by explo- 
sions of unbounded and irrepressible laughter not 
uniningled with tears, was the order of the hour. 


366 


BLACK IVORY. 


“ But wat ! yoos ill ?” cried Zombo suddenly, 
looking into Disco's face with an anxious expression. 

“ Well, I ain’t ’xac’ly ill, nor I ain’t ’xac’ly well 
neither, but I’m hearty all the same, and werry 
glad to see your black face, Zombo.” 

“ Ho ! hooroo-hay ! so ’s me for see you,” cried 

the excitable Zombo ; “ but come, not good for 

talkee in de knees to watter. Ball in boy, ho! 

sholier ’urns — queekihash !” 

<>wV 

That Zombo had assumed command of his party 
was made evident by the pat way in which he 
trolled off the words of command formerly taught 
to him by Harold, as well as by the prompt obe- 
dience that was accorded to his orders. He led the 
party out of the swamp, and, on reaching a dry spot, 
halted, in order to make further inquiries and answer 
questions. 

“ How did you find us, Zombo ?” asked Harold, 
throwing himself wearily on the ground. 

“ Yoos ill,” said Zombo, holding up a finger by 
way of rebuke. 

“ So I am, though not so ill as I look. But come, 
answer me. How came you to discover us ? You 
could not have found us by mere chance in this 
wilderness ?” 

" Chanz ; wat am chanz ? ” asked the Makololo. 

There was some difficulty in getting Antonio to 
explain the word, from the circumstance of himself 


I 

BLACK IVORY. 


367 


being ignorant of it, therefore Harold put the ques- 
tion in *a more direct form. 

“ Oh ! ve comes here look for yoo, 'cause peepils 
d’reck 'urns — show de way. Ye’s been veeks, monts, 
oh ! days look for yoo. Travil far — g'i’ong road — 
turin bak^-try agin — fin’ yoo now — hooroo-hay !” 

“ You may say that, indeed. I’d have it in my 
heart,” said Disco, “to give three good rousin’ British 
cheers if it warn’t for the thoughts o’ that black- 
hearted villain, Marizano, / an’ his poor, miserable 
slaves.” 

“ Marizano!” shouted Chimbolo, glaring at Harold. 

“Marizano !” echoed Zombo, glaring at Disco. 

Harold now explained to his friends that the 
slave-hunter was close at hand — a piece of news 
which visibly excited them, — and described the 
cruelties of which he had recently been a witness. 
Zombo showed his teeth like a savage mastiff, and 
grasped his musket as though he longed to use it, 
but he uttered no word until the narrative reached 
that point in which the death of the poor captive 
was described. Then he suddenly started forward 
and said something to his followers in the native 
tongue, which caused each to fling down the small 
bundle that was strapped to his shoulders. 

“ Yoo stop here,” he cried, earnestly, as he turned 
to Harold and Disco. “ Ye’s com bak soon. Ho ! 
boys, sfrolleh* 'urns \ queek mash 1” 


368 


BLACK IVORY. 


No trained band of Britons ever obeyed with 
more ready .alacrity. No attention was paid to 
Harold’s questions. The “ queek mash ” carried 
them out of sight in a few minutes, and when the 
Englishmen, who had run after them a few paces, 
halted, under the conviction that in their weak con- 
dition they might as well endeavour to keep up with 
race-horses as with their old friends, they found that 
Antonio alone remained to keep them company. 

“Where’s Jumbo?” inquired Harold. 

“ Gon’ ’way wid oders,” replied the interpreter. 

Examining the bundles of their friends, they 
found that their contents were powder, ball, and 
food. It was therefore resolved that a fire should 
be kindled and food prepared to be ready for their 
friends on their return. 

“ I’m not so sure about their return,” said Harold 
gravely. “ They will have to fight against fearful 
odds if they find the slavers. Eoolish fellows; I 
wish they had not rushed away so madly without 
consulting us.” 

The day passed; night came and passed also, 
and another day dawned, but there was no appear- 
ance of Zombo and his men until the sun had been 
up for some hours. Then they came back, wending 
their way slowly— very slowly-f through the woods, 
with the whole of the slave-gang, men, women, and 
children, at their heels I ) 


BLACK IVORY. 


369 


“Where is Marizano ? ” inquired Harold, almost 
breathless with surprise. 

“Dead!” said Zomho. 

“Dead?” 

“ Ay, dead, couldn’t be deader.” 

“ And his armed followers ?” 

“Dead, too — some oh urns/' Ye got at um in de 
night. Shotted Marizano all to hatoms. Shotted 
mos’ ob um iollerers too. De res’ all scatter like 
leaves in de wind. Me giv’ -up now,” added £ombo, 
handing his musket to Harold. “ Boys ! orref^'Smsl 
mee§ Capitin not no more. How, Capitin Hard’, 
yoos once more look afer us, an’ take care ob all 
urns peepil.” 

Having thus demitted his charge, the faithful 
Zombo stepped back and left our hero in the un- 
enviable position of a half broken-down man with 
the responsibility of conducting an expedition and 
disposing of a large gang of slaves in some unknown 
part of equatorial Africa ! 

Leaving him there, w^ will proceed at once to 
the coast and follow, for a tithe, the fortunes of that 
arch-villain, Yoosoof. 


370 


BLACK IVORY. 


CHAPTER XXII. 

DESCRIBES “ BLACK IVORY ” AT SEA. 

Having started for the coast with a large gang 
of slaves a short time before Marizano, as we have 
already said, and having left the Englishmen to 
the care of the half-caste, chiefly because he did not 
desire their company, although he had no objection 
to the ransom, Yoosoof proceeded over the same 
track which we have already described in part, 
leaving a bloody trail behind him. 

It is a fearful track, of about 500 miles in length, 
that which lies between the head of Lake Nyassa 
and the sea-coast at Kilwa. We have no intention 
of dragging the reader ov,er it to witness the cruel- 
ties and murders that were perpetrated by the 
slavers, or the agonies endured by the slaves. Liv- 
ingstone speaks of it as a land of death, of desola- 
tion, and -dead men’s bones. And no wonder, for 
it is one of the main arteries through which the 
blood of Africa flows, like the water of natural 
rivers, to the sea. The slave-gangs are perpetually 


BLACK IVORY. 


371 


passing eastward through it — perpetually dropping 
four-fifths of their numbers on it as they go. 1 

Yoosoof left with several thousands of strong and 
healthy men, women, and children— most of them 
being children — he arrived at Kilwa with only eight 
hundred. The rest had sunk by the way, either 
from exhaustion or cruel treatment, or both. The 
loss was great ; but as regards the trader it could 
not he called severe, because the whole gang of 
slaves cost him little — some of them even nothing ! 
— and the remaining eight hundred would fetch a 
good, price. They were miserably thin, indeed, 
and exhibited on their poor, worn, and travel- 
stained bodies the evidence of many a cruel casti- 
gation; but Yoosoof knew that a little rest and 
good feeding at Kilwa would restore them to some 
degree of marketable value, and at Zanzibar he was 
pretty sure of obtaining, in round numbers, about 
£10 a head for them, while in the Arabian and 
Persian ports he could obtain much more, if he 
chose to pass beyond the treaty-protected water at 
Lamoo, and run Ihe risk of beings captured by British 
cruisers. It is “piracy” to carry slaves north of 
Lamoo. South of that point, for hundreds of miles, 
robbery, rapine, murder, cruelty, such as devils 

i Dr. Livingstone estimates that, in some cases, not more than one- 
tenth of the slaves captured reach the sea-coast alive. It is therefore 
rather under than over-stating the case to say that out of every 
hundred starting from the interior, eighty perish on the road. 


372 


BLACK IVORY. 


could not excel if they were to try, is a “ domestic 
institution ” with which Britons are pledged not to 
interfere I 1 

The arch robber and murderer, Yoosoof — smooth 
and oily of face, tongue, and manner though he was 
— possessed a bold spirit and a grasping heart. The 
domestic institution did not suit him. Bather than 
sneak along his villainous course under its protect- 
ing “pass,” he resolved to bid defiance to laws, 
treaties, and men-of-war to boot — as many hundreds 
of his compeers have done and do — and make a bold 
dash to the north with his eight hundred specimens 
of Black Ivory. 


1 Since the above was written Sir Bartle Frere has returned from 
his mission, and we are told that a treaty has been signed by the 
Sultan of Zanzibar putting an end to this domestic slavery. We have 
not yet seen the terms of this treaty, and must go to press before it 
appears. We have reason to rejoice, and be thankful, however, that 
such an advantage has been gained. But let not the reader imagine 
that this settles the question of East African slavery. Portugal still 
holds to the “domestic institution” in her colonies, and has decreed 
that it shall not expire till the year 1878. Decreed, in fact, that the 
horrors which we have attempted to depict shall continue for five 
years longer ! And let it be noted, that the export slave-trade cannot 
be stopped as long as domestic slavery is permitted. Besides this, 
there is a continual drain of human beings from Africa through 
Egypt. Sir Samuel Baker’s mission is a blow aimed at that ; but 
nothing, that we know of, is being done in regard to Portuguese 
wickedness. If the people of this country could only realize the 
frightful state of things that exists in the African Portuguese territory, 
and knew how many thousand bodies shall be racked with torture, 
and souls be launched into eternity during these five years, they 
would indignantly insist that Portugal should be compelled to stop it 
at once. If it is righteous to constrain the Sultan of Zanzibar, is it 
not equally so to compel the King of Portugal ? 


BLACK IVORY. 


373 


Accordingly, full of his purpose, one afternoon he 
sauntered up to the-barracoons in which his “ cattle ” 
were being rested and fed-up. 

Moosa, his chief driver, was busy among them 
with the lash, for, like other cattle, they had a ten- 
dency to rebel, at least a few of them had ; the most 
of them were by that time reduced to the callous 
condition which had struck Harold and Disco so 
much on the occasion of their visits to the slave- 
market of Zanzibar. 

Moosa was engaged, when Yoosoof entered, in 
whipping most unmercifully a small boy whose 
piercing shrieks had no influence whatever on his 
tormentor. Close beside them a large strong- boned 
man lay stretched on the ground. He had just 
been felled with a heavy stick by Moosa for inter- 
fering. He had raised himself on one elbow, while 
with his right hand he wiped away the blood that 
oozed from the wound in his head, and appeared to 
struggle to recover himself from the stunning blow. 

“ What has he been doing ? ” asked Yoosoof, care- 
lessly, in Portuguese. 

“ Oh, the old story, rebelling,” said Moosa, savagely 
hurling the boy into the midst of a group of cower- 
ing children, amongst whom he instantly shrank as 
much as possible out of sight. “ That brute,” pointing 
to the prostrate man, “ was a chief, it appears, in his 
own country, and has not yet got all the spirit 


374 


BLACK IVORY. 


lashed out of him. But it can’t last much longer ; 
either the spirit or the life must go. He has carried 
that little whelp the last part of the way on his hack, 
and now objects to part with him, — got fond of him, 
I fancy. If you had taken my advice you would 
have cast them both to the hyenas long ago.” 

“ You are a bad judge of human flesh, Moosa,” 
said Yoosoof, quietly ; “ more than once you have 
allowed your passion to rob me of a valuable piece 
of goods. This man will fetch a good price in 
Persia, and so will his son. I know that the 
child is his son, though the fool thinks no one 
knows that but himself, and rather prides himself 
on the clever way in which he has continued to 
keep his whelp beside him on the journey down. 
Bah ! what can one expect from such cattle ? Don’t 
separate them, Moosa. They will thrive better to- 
gether. If we only get them to market in good- 
condition, then we can sell them in separate lots 
without risking loss of value from pining.” 

In a somewhat sulky tone, for he was not pleased 
to be found fault with by his chief, the slave-driver 
ordered out the boy, who was little more than five 
years old, though the careworn expression of his thin 
face seemed to indicate a much more advanced age. 

Trembling with alarm, for he expected a repetition 
of the punishment, yet not daring to disobey, the 
child came slowly out from the midst of his hapless 


BLACK IVORY. 


375 


companions and advanced. The man who had 
partly recovered rose to a sitting position, and re- 
garded Moosa and the Arab with a look of hatred 
so intense that it is quite certain he would have 
sprung at them if the heavy slave-stick had not 
rendered such an act impossible. 

“ Go, you little whelp,” said Moosa, pointing to 
the fallen chief, and at the same time giving the 
child a cut with the whip. 

With a cry of mingled pain and delight poor Obo, 
for it was he, rushed into his father's open arms, and 
laid his sobbing head on his breast. He could not 
nestle into his neck as, in the days of old, he had 
been wont to do,— the rough goree effectually pre- 
vented that. 

Kambira bent his head over the child and re- 
mained perfectly stilL He did not dare to move, 
lest any action, however inoffensive, might induce 
Moosa to change his mind and separate them again. 

Poor Kambira ! How different from the hearty, 
bold, kindly chief to whom we introduced the reader 
in his own wilderness home ! His colossal frame 
was now gaunt in the extreme, and so thin that 
every rib stood out as though it would burst the 
skin, and every joint seemed hideously large, while 
from head to foot his skin was crossed and recrossed 
with terrible weals and scarred with open sores, 
telling of the horrible cruelties to which he had been 


376 


BLACK IVORY. 


subjected in the vain attempt to tame his untameable 
spirit. There can be no question that if he had 
been left to the tender mercies of such Portuguese 
half-caste scoundrels as Moosa or Marizano he would 
have been brained with an axe or whipped to death 
long ago. But Yoosoof was more cool and calculating 
in his cruelty ; he had more respect for his pocket 
than for the gratification of his angry feelings. 
Therefore Kambira had reached the coast alive. 

Little had the simple chief imagined what awaited 
him on that coast and on his way to it, when, in the 
fulness of his heart, he had stated to Harold Seadrift 
his determination to proceed thither in search of 
Azint4. Experience had now crushed hope, and 
taught him to despair. There was but one gleam of 
light in his otherwise black sky, and that was the 
presence of his boy. Life had still one charm in 
it as long as he could lay hold of Obo’s little hand 
and hoist him, not quite so easily as of yore, on his 
broad shoulders. Yoosoof was sufficiently a judge 
of human character to be aware that if he separated 
these two, Kambira would become more dangerous 
to approach than the fiercest monster in the African 
wilderness. 

“We must sail to-night and take our chance,” 
said Yoosoof, turning away from his captives ; “the 
time allowed for our trade is past, and I shall 
run straight north without delay.” 


BLACK IVORY. 


377 


The Arab here referred to the fact that the period 
of the year allowed by treaty for the “ lawful slave 
trade ” of the Zanzibar dominions had come to an 
end. That period extended over several months, 
and during its course passes from the Sultan 
secured “domestic slavers” against the- British 
cruisers. After its expiration no export of slaves 
was permitted anywhere ; nevertheless a very large 
export was carried on despite non-permission and 
cruisers. Yoosoof meant to run the blockade and 
take his chance. 

“ How many dhows have you got ? ” asked 
Yoosoof. 

“ Three,” replied Moosa. 

“That will -do,” returned the Arab after a few 
minutes’- thought ; “ it will be a tight fit at first, 
perhaps, but a few days at sea will rectify that. 
Even in the most healthy season and favourable 
conditions we must unfortunately count on a good 
many losses. We shall sail to-morrow.” 

The morrow came, and three dhows left the har- 
bour of Kilwa, hoisted their lateen sails, and steered 
northwards. 

They were densely crowded with slaves. Even 
to the eye of a superficial-observer this would have 
been patent, for the upper deck of each was so 
closely packed with black men, women, and children, 
that a square inch of it could not anywhere be seen. 


378 


BLACK IVOKY. 


They were packed very systematically, in order to 
secure economical stowage. Each human being 
sat on his haunches with his thighs against his 
breast and his knees touching his chin. They were 
all ranged thus in rows, shoulder to shoulder, and 
back to shin, so that the deck was covered with a 
solid phalanx of human flesh. Change of posture 
was not provided for: it was not possible. There 
was no awning over the upper deck. The tropical 
sun poured its rays on the heads of the slaves all 
day. The dews fell on them all night. The voyage 
might last for days or weeks, but there was no 
relief to the wretched multitude. For no purpose 
whatever could they move from their terrible posi- 
tion, save for the one purpose of being thrown 
overboard when dead. 

But we have only spoken of the upper deck of 
these dhows. Beneath this there was a temporary 
bamboo deck, with just space sufficient to admit of 
men being seated in the position above referred to. 
This was also crowded, but it was not the “ Black 
Hole ” of the vessel. That was lower still. Seated 
on the stone ballast beneath the bamboo-deck there 
was yet another layer of humanity, whose condition 
can neither be described nor conceived. Without 
air, without light, without room to move, without 
hope ; with insufferable stench, with hunger and 
thirst, with heat unbearable, with agony of body and 


BLACK 1V0KY. 


379 


soul, with dread anticipations of the future, and de- 
spairing memories of the past, they sat for days and 
nights together — fed with just enough of uncooked 
rice and water to keep soul and body together. 

Not enough in all cases, however, for many suc- 
cumbed, especially among the women and children. 

Down in the lowest, filthiest, and darkest comer 
of this foul hold sat Kambira, with little Obo crushed 
against his shins. It may be supposed that there 
was a touch of mercy in this arrangement. Let not 
the reader suppose so. Yoosoof knew that if Kam- 
bira was to be got to market alive, Obo must go 
along with him. Moosa also knew that if the 
strong-minded chief was to be subdued at all, it 
would only be by the most terrible means. Hence 
his position in the dhow. 

There was a man seated alongside of Kambira who 
for some time had appeared to be ilL He could 
not be seen, for the place was quite dark, save when 
a man came down with a lantern daily to serve out 
rice and water ; but Kambira knew that he was 
very ill from his groans and the quiverings of his 
body. One night these groans ceased, and the man 
leaned heavily on the chief — not very heavily, how- 
ever, he was too closely wedged in all round to 
admit of that. Soon afterwards he became very 
cold, and Kambira knew that he was dead. All 
that night and the greater part of next day the dead 


380 


BLACK IVORY. 


man sai propped up by his living comrades. Wien 
the daily visitor came down, attention was drawn 
to the body and it was removed. 

Moosa, who was in charge of this dhow (Yoosoof 
having command of another), gave orders to have the 
slaves in the hold examined, and it was discovered 
that three others were dead and two dying. The 
dead were thrown overboard ; the dying were left 
till they died, and then followed their released com- 
rades. 

But now a worse evil befell that dhow. ( Small- 
pox broke out among the slaves. 

It was a terrible emergency, but Moosa was quite 
equal to it. Ordering the infected, and suspected, 
slaves to be brought on deck, he examined them. 
In this operation he was assisted and accompanied 
by two powerful armed men. There were passengers 
on board the dhow, chiefly Arabs, and a crew as 
well as -slaves. The passengers and crew together 
numbered about thirty-four, all of whom were armed 
to the teeth. To these this inspection was of great 
importance, for it was^heir- interest to get rid of the 
deadly disease as fast as possible. 

The first slave inspected, a youth of about fifteen, 
was in an advanced stage of the disease, in fact 
dying. A glance was sufficient, and at a nod from 
Moosa, the two powerful men seized him and hurled 
him into the sea. The poor creature was too far 


BLACK IVORY. 


381 


gone even to struggle for life. He sank like a 
stone. Several children followed. They were un- 
questionably smitten with the disease, and were at 
once thrown overboard. Whether the passengers 
felt pity or no we cannot say. They expressed 
none, but looked on in silence. 

So far the work was easy, but when men and 
women were brought up on whom the disease had 
not certainly taken effect, Moosa was divided between 
the desire to check the progress of the evil, and the 
desire to save valuable property. 

The property itself also caused some trouble in a 
few instances, for when it became obvious to one or 
two of the stronger slave girls and men what was 
going to be done with them, they made a hard 
struggle for their lives, and the two strong men were 
under the necessity of using a knife, now and then, 
to facilitate the accomplishment of their purpose. 
But such cases were rare. Most of the victims were 
callously submissive; it might not be beyond the 
truth, in some cases, to say willingly submissive. 

Each day this scene was enacted, for Moosa was 
a very determined man, and full forty human beings 
were thus murdered, but the disease was not stayed. 
The effort to check it was therefore given up, and 
the slaves were left to recover or die where they sat . 1 

i See account of capture of dhow by Captain Robert B. Cay, of 
H.M.S. ‘ Vulture,’ in the Times of India , 1872. 


382 


BLACK IVORY. 


While this was going on in the vessel commanded 
by Moosa, the other two dhows under Yoosoof and a 
man named Suliman had been lost sight of. But 
this was a matter of little moment, as they were all 
bound for the same Persian port, and were pretty 
sure, British cruisers permitting, to meet there at 
last. Meanwhile the dhow ran short of water, and 
Moosa did not like to venture at that time to make 
the land, lest he should be caught by one of the 
hated cruisers or their boats. He preferred to let 
the wretched slaves take their chance of dying of 
thirst — hoping, however, to lose only a few of the 
weakest, as water could be procured a little farther 
north with greater security. 

Thus the horrible work of disease, death, and 
murder went on until an event occurred which 
entirely changed the aspect of affairs on board the 
dhow. 

Early one morning, Moosa directed the head of 
his vessel towards the land with the intention of 
procuring the much needed water. At the same 
hour and place two cutters belonging to H.M.S. 
‘ Firefly/ armed with gun and rocket, twenty men, 
and an interpreter, crept out under sail with the 
fishing boats from a neighbouring village. They 
were under the command of Lieutenants Small and 
Lindsay respectively. For some days they had been 
there keeping vigilant watch, but had seen no dhows, 

/ 


BLACK IVORY. 


383 


and that morning were proceeding out rather de- 
pressed by the influence of “ hope deferred,” when a 
sail was observed in the offing — or, rather, a mast, 
for the sail of the dhow had been lowered — the 
owners intending to wait until the tide should 
enable them to cross the bar. 

“ Out oars and give way, lads,” was the immediate 
order ; for it was necessary to get up all speed on the 
boats if the dhow was to be reached before she had 
time to hoist her huge sail. 

“ I hope the haze will last,” earnestly muttered 
Lieutenant Small in the first cutter. 

“Oh that they may keep on sleeping for five 
minutes more,” excitedly whispered Lieutenant 
Lindsay in the second cutter. 

These hopes were coupled with orders to have 
the gun and rocket in readiness. 

But the haze would not last to oblige Mr. Small, 
neither would the Arabs keep on sleeping to please 
Mr. Lindsay. On the contrary, the haze dissipated, 
and the Arabs observed and recognised their enemies 
when within about half a mile. With wonderful 
celerity they hoisted sail and stood out to sea in the 
full swing of the monsoon. 

There was no little probability that the boats 
would fail to overhaul a vessel with so large a sail, 
therefore other means were instantly resorted to. 

“ Fire !” said Mr. SmalL 


384 


BLACK IVORY. 


“ Fire !” cried Mr. Lindsay. 

Bang went the gun, whiz went the rochet almost 
at the same moment. A rapid rifle-fire was also 
opened on the slaver — shot, rocket, and ball bespat- 
tered the sea and scattered foam in the air, but did 
no harm to the dhow, a heavy sea and a strong 
wind preventing accuracy of aim. 

“ Give it them as fast as you can,” was now the 
order; and well was the order obeyed, for blue- 
jackets are notoriously smart men in action, and the 
gun, the rocket, and the rifles kept up a smart iron 
storm for upwards of two hours, during which time 
the exciting chase lasted. 

At last Jackson, the linguist, who was in the 
stern of Lindsay’s boat, mortally wounded the steers- 
man of the dhow with a rifle-ball at a distance of 
about six hundred yards. Not long afterwards the 
rocket-cutter, being less heavily weighted than her 
consort, crept ahead, and when within about a 
hundred and fifty yards of the slaver, let fly a well- 
directed rocket. It carried away the parrell which 
secured the yard of the dhow to the mast, and 
brought the sail down instantly on the deck 

“ Hurra !” burst irresistibly from the blue-jackets. 

The Arabs were doubly overwhelmed, for besides 
getting the sail down on their heads, they were 
astonished and stunned by the shriek, smoke, and 
flame of the war-rocket. The gun-cutter coming up 


BLACK IVORY. 


385 


at the moment, the two boats ranged alongside of 
the slaver, and boarded together. 

As we have said, the crew and passengers, number- 
ing thirty-four, were armed to the teeth, and they 
had stood by the halyards during the chase with 
drawn creases , swearing to kill any one who should 
attempt to shorten sail. These now appeared for a 
moment as though they meditated resistance, but 
the irresistible dash of the sailors seemed to change 
their minds, for they submitted without striking a 
blow, though many of them were very reluctant to 
give up their swords and knives. 

Fortunately the ‘ Firefly’ arrived in search of her 
boats that evening, and the slaves were transferred 
' to her deck. But who shall describe the harrowing 
scene ! The dhow seemed a very nest of black ants, 
it was so crowded, and the sailors who had to per- 
form the duty of removing the slaves were nearly 
suffocated by the horrible stench. Few of the 
slaves could straighten themselves after their long 
confinement. Indeed some of them were unable to 
stand for days afterwards, and many died on board 
the ‘ Firefly’ before they reached a harbour of refuge 
and freedom. Those taken from the hold were in 
the worst condition, especially the children, many 
| \of whom were in the most loathsome stages of 
smallpox, and scrofula of every description. They 
were so emaciated and weak that many had to 
2 b ~ 


386 


BLACK IVORY. 


be carried on board, and lifted for every move- 
ment. 

Kambira, although able to stand, was doubled up 
like an old man, and poor little Obo trembled and 
staggered when he attempted to follow his father, to 
whom he still clung as to his last and only refuge. 

To convey these poor wretches to a place where 
they could be cared for was now Captain Romer’s 
chief anxiety. First, however, he landed the crew 
and passengers, with the exception of Moosa and 
three of his men. The filthy dhow was then scuttled 
and sunk, after which the ‘ Firefly’ steamed away 
for Aden, that being the nearest port where the 
rescued slaves could be landed and set free 


BLACK IVORY. 


387 


CHAPTER XXIII. 

THE REMEDY. 

Reader, we will turn aside at this point to preach 
you a lay sermon, if you will lend an attentive ear. 
It shall be brief, and straight to the point. Our text 
is, — Prevention and Cure. 

There are at least three great channels by which 
the life-blood of Africa is drained. One trends to 
the east through the Zanzibar dominions, another 
to the south-east through the Portuguese depen- 
dencies, and a third to the north through Egypt. 
If the slave-trade is to be effectually checked, the 
How through these three channels must be stopped. 
It is -vain to rest content with the stoppage of one 
leak in our ship if two other leaks are left open. 

Happily, in regard to the first of these channels, 
Sir Bartle Erere has been successful in making a 
grand stride in the way of prevention. If the 
Sultan of Zanzibar holds to his treaty engagements, 

“ domestic slavery” in his dominions is at an end. 
Nevertheless, our fleet will be required just as much 


388 


BLACK IVORY. 


as ever to prevent the unauthorized, piratical, slave- 
trade, and this, after all, is but one-third of the pre- 
ventive work we have to do. Domestic slavery 
remains untouched in the Portuguese dependencies, 
and Portugal has decreed that it shall remain un- 
touched until the year 1878 ! It is well that we 
should be thoroughly impressed with the fact, that 
so long as slavery in any form is tolerated, the 
internal — we may say infernal — miseries and horrors 
which we have attempted to depict, will continue 
to blight the land and brutalize its people. Besides 
this, justice demands that the same constraint which 
we lay on the Sultan of Zanzibar should be applied 
to the King of Portugal. We ought to insist that 
his “ domestic slavery” shall cease at once. Still 
further, as Sir Bartle Frere himself has recommended, 
we should urge upon our' Government the appoint- 
ment of efficient consular establishments in the 
Portuguese dependencies, as well as vigilance in 
securing the observance of the treaties signed by 
the Sultans of Zanzibar and Muscat. 

A recent telegram from Sir Samuel Baker assures 
us that a great step has been made in the way of 
checking the tide of slavery in the third — the 
Egyptian — channel, and Sir Bartle Frere bears 
testimony to the desire of the Khedive that slavery 
should be put down in his dominions. For this we 
have reason to be thankful ; and the appearance of 


BLACK IVORY. 


389 


affairs in that quarter is hopeful, but our hope is 
mingled with anxiety, because mankind is terribly 
prone to go to sleep on hopeful appearances. Our 
nature is such, that our only chance of success lies, 
under God, in resolving ceaselessly to energize until 
our ends be accomplished. We must see to it that 
the Khedive of Egypt acts in accordance with his 
professions, and for this end efficient consular agency 
is as needful in the north-east as in the south-east. 

So much for prevention, but prevention is not 
cure. In order to this two ^things are necessary. 
There must be points or centres of refuge for the 
oppressed on the mainland of Africa, and there 
must be the introduction of the Bible. The first is 
essential to the second. Where anarchy, murder, 
injustice; and tyranny are rampant and triumphant, 
the advance of the missionary is either terribly slow 
or altogether impossible. The life-giving, soul- 
softening Word of God, is the only remedy for the 
woes of mankind, and, therefore, the only cure for 
Africa. To introduce it effectually, and along with 
it civilisation and all the blessings that flow there- 
from, it is indispensable that Great Britain should 
obtain, by treaty or by purchase, one or more small 
pieces of land, there to establish free Christian 
negro settlements, and there, with force sufficient to 
defend them from the savages, and worse than 
savages,— the Arab and Portuguese half-caste bar- 


390 


BLACK IVORY. 


barians and lawless men who infest the land — hold 
out the hand of friendship to all natives who choose 
to claim her protection from the man-stealer, and 
offer to teach them the blessed truths of Christianity 
and the arts of civilisation. Many of the men who 
are best fitted to give an opinion on the point, agree 
in holding that some such centre, or centres, on the 
mainland are essential to the permanent cure of 
slavery, although they differ a little as to the best 
localities for them. Take, for instance, Darra Salaam 
on the coast, the Manganja highlands near the river 
Shire, and Kartoum on the Nile. Three such centres 
would, if established, begin at once to dry up the 
slave-trade at its three fountain-heads, while our 
cruisers would check it on the coast. In these 
centres of light and freedom the negroes might see 
exemplified the blessings of Christianity and civili- 
sation, and, thence, trained native missionaries 
might radiate into all parts of the vast continent, 
armed only with the Word of God, the shield of 
Faith, and the sword of the Spirit, in order to preach 
the glad tidings of salvation through Jesus Christ 
our Lord. 

In brief, the great points on which we . ought, as 
a nation, to insist, are — the immediate abolition of 
the slave-trade in Portuguese dependencies ; „ the 
scrupulous fulfilment of treaty obligations by the 
Sultans of Zanzibar and Muscat, the Shah of Persia, 


BLACK IVORY. 


391 


and the Khedive of Egypt ; the establishment by our 
Government of efficient consular agencies where such 
are required ; the acquisition of territory on the 
mainland for the purposes already mentioned, and 
the united action of all Christians in our land to 
raise funds and send men to preach the Gospel to 
the negro. So doing we. shall, with God's blessing, 
put an end to the Eastern slave-trade, save equatorial 
Africa, and materially increase the commerce, the 
viches, and the happiness of the world. 


392 


BIACK IVORY. 


CHAPTER XXIV. 

TELLS OF SAD SIGHTS, AND SUDDEN EVENTS, AND UNEXPECTED 
MEETINGS. 

In the course of time, our hero, Harold Seadrift, 
and his faithful ally, Disco Lillihammer, after in- 
numerable adventures which we are unwillingly 
obliged to pass over in silence, returned to the 
coast, and, in the course of their wanderings in 
search of a vessel which should convey them to 
Zanzibar, found themselves at last in the town of 
Governor Letotti. Being English travellers, they 
were received as guests by the Governor, and Harold 
was introduced to Senhorina Maraquita. 

Passing through the market-place one day, they 
observed a crowd round the flag-staff in the centre 
of the square, and, following the irresistible tendency 
of human nature in such circumstances, ran to see 
what was going on. 

They found that a slave was about to be publicly 
whipped by soldiers. The unhappy man was sus- 
pended by the wrists from the flag-staff, and a single 


BLACK IVORY. 


393 


cord of coir round his waist afforded him additional 
support. 

“ Come away, we can do no good here,” said 
Harold, in a low, sorrowful tone, which was drowned 
in the shriek of the victim, as the first lash fell on 
his naked shoulders. 

“ Pra’ps he ’s a criminal,” suggested Disco, as he 
hurried away, endeavouring to comfort himself with 
the thought that the man probably deserved punish- 
ment. “ It ’s not the whippin* I think so much of,” 
he added ; “ that is the only thing as will do for 
some characters, but it's the awful cruelties that 
goes along with it.” 

Keturning through the same square about an 
hour later, having almost forgotten about the slave 
by that time, they were horrified to observe that 
the wretched man was still hanging there. 

Hastening towards him, they found that he was 
gasping for breath. His veins were bursting, and 
his flesh was deeply lacerated by the cords with 
which he was suspended. He turned his head as 
the Englishmen approached, and spoke a few w r ords 
which they did not understand ; but the appealing 
look of his bloodshot eyes spoke a language that 
required no interpreter. 

At an earlier period in their career in Africa, both 
Harold and Disco would have acted on their first 
impulse, and cut the man down ; but experience 


394 


BLACK IVORY. 


had taught them that this style of interference, while 
it put their own lives in jeopardy, had sometimes 
the effect of increasing the punishment and suffer- 
ings of those whom they sought to befriend. 

Acting on a wiser plan, they resolved to appeal 
to Governor Letotti in his behalf. They therefore 
ran to his residence, where Maraquita, who con- 
versed with Harold in French, informed them that 
her father was in the “ Geresa,” or public palaver 
house. To that building they hastened, and found 
that it was in the very square they had left. But 
Senhor Letotti was not there. He had observed the 
Englishmen coming, and, having a shrewd guess 
what their errand was, had - disappeared and hid 
himself. His chief-officer informed them that he 
had left the town early in the morning, and would 
not return till the afternoon. 

Harold felt quite sure that this was a falsehood, 
but of course was obliged to accept it as truth. 

“ Is there no one to act for the Governor in his 
absence ?” he asked, anxiously. 

Ho, there was no one ; but after a few minutes 
the chief- officer appeared to be overcome by Harold’s 
earnest entreaties, and said that he could take upon 
himself to act, that he would suspend the punish- 
ment till the Governor’s return, when Harold might 
prefer his petition to him in person. 

Accordingly, the slave was taken down. In the 


BLACK IVORY. 


395 


afternoon Harold saw the Governor, and explained 
that he did not wish to interfere with his province 
as a magistrate, but that what he had witnessed was 
so shocking that he availed himself of his privilege 
as a guest to pray that the mans punishment might 
be mitigated. 

Governor Letotti’s health had failed him of late, 
and he had suffered some severe disappointments in 
money matters, so that his wonted amiability had 
been considerably reduced. He objected, at first, 
to interfere with the course of justice; but finally 
gave a reluctant consent, and the man was pardoned. 
Afterwards, however, when our travellers were ab- 
sent from the town for a day, the wretched slave was 
again tied up, and the full amount of his punishment 
inflicted ; in other words, he was flogged to death . 1 

This incident had such an effect on the mind of 
Harold, that he resolved no longer to accept the 
hospitality of Governor Letotti. He had some 
difficulty, however, in persuading himself to carry 
his resolve into effect, for the Governor, although 
harsh in his dealing with the slave, had been ex- 
ceedingly kind and amiable to himself ; but an un- 
expected event occurred which put an end to his 
difficulties. This was the illness and sudden death 
of his host. 

1 For the incident on which this is founded we are indebted to 
the Rev. Dr. Ryan, late Bishop of the Mauritius. 


396 


BLACK IVORY. 


Poor, disconsolate Maraquita, in the first passion 
of her grief, fled to the residence of the only female 
friend she had in the town, and refused firmly to 
return home. Thus it came to pass that Harold’s 
intercourse with the Senhorina was cut short at its 
commencement, and thus he missed the opportunity 
of learning something of the fortunes of Azint6 ; for 
it is certain that if they had conversed much to- 
gether, as would probably have been the case had 
her father lived, some mention of the slave-girl’s 
name could not fail to have been made, and their 
mutual knowledge of her to have been elicited and 
interchanged. 

In those days there was no regular communica- 
tion between one point and another of the east coast 
of Africa and the neighbouring islands. Travellers 
had frequently to wait long for a chance ; and when 
they got one’ were often glad to take advantage 
of it without being fastidious as to its character. 
Soon after the events above, narrated, a small trad- 
ing schooner touched at the port. It was bound 
for the Seychelles, intending to return by Zanzibar 
and Madagascar, and proceed to the Cape. Harold 
would rather have gone direct to Zanzibar, but 
having plenty of time on his hands, as well as 
means, he was content to avail himself of the oppor- 
tunity, and took passage in the schooner for him- 
self, Disco, and Jumbo. That sable and faithful 


BLACK IVORY. 


397 


friend was the only one of his companions who 
was willing to follow him anywhere on the face 
of the earth. The others received their pay and 
their discharge with smiling faces, and scattered to 
their several homes — Antonio departing to complete 
his interrupted honeymoon. 

Just before leaving, Harold sought and obtained 
permission to visit Maraquita, to bid her good-bye. 
The poor child was terribly overwhelmed by the 
death of her father, and could not speak of him 
without giving way to passionate grief. She told 
Harold that she meant to leave the coast by the 
first opportunity that should offer, and proceed to 
the Cape of Good Hope, where, in some part of the 
interior, lived an old aunt, the only relative she now 
had on earth, who, she knew, would be glad to De- 
ceive her. Our hero did his best to comfort the 
poor girl, and expressed deep sympathy with her, 
but felt that his power to console was very small 
indeed. After a brief interview he bade her fare- 
well. 

The voyage which our travellers now commenced 
was likely to be of considerable duration, for the 
Seychelles Islands lie a long way to the eastward of 
Africa, but, as we have said, time was of no impor- 
tance to Harold, and he was not sorry to have an 
opportunity of visiting a group of islands which are 
of some celebrity in connexion with the east African 


398 


BLACK IVOEY. 


slave-trade. Thus, all unknown to himself or Disco, 
as well as to Maraquita, who would have been in- 
tensely interested had she known the fact, he was led 
towards the new abode of our sable heroine Azint4. 

But alas ! for Kambira and Obo, — they were 
being conveyed, also, of course, unknown to them- 
selves or to any one else, further and further 
away from one whom they would have given their 
heart’s blood to meet with and embrace, and it 
seemed as if there were not a chance of any gleam 
of light bridging over the ever widening gulf that 
lay between them, for although Lieutenant Lindsay 
knew that Azinte had been left at the Seychelles, he 
had not the remotest idea that Kambira was Azint4’s 
husband, and among several hundreds of freed 
slaves the second lieutenant of the ‘Firefly’ was 
not likely to single out and hold converse with a 
chief whose language he did not understand, and 
who, as far as appearances went, was almost as 
miserable, sickly, and degraded as were the rest 
of the unhappy beings by whom he was sur- 
rounded. 

Providence, however, turned the tide of affairs 
in favour of Kambira and his son. On reaching 
Zanzibar Captain Bomer had learned from the com- 
mander of another cruiser that Aden was at that 
time somewhat overwhelmed with freed „ slaves, a 
considerable number of captures having been recently 


BLACK IVORY. 


399 

s l 

made about the neighbourhood of that great rendez- 
vous of slavers, the island of - Socotra. 

The captain therefore changed his mind, and once 
more very unwillingly directed his course towards 
the distant Seychelles. 

On the way thither many of the poor negroes 
died, but many began to recover strength under the 
influence of kind treatment and generous diet. 
Among these latter was Kambira. His erect gait 
and manly look soon began to return, and his ribs, 
so to speak, to disappear. It was otherwise with 
poor Obo. The severity of the treatment to which 
he had been. exposed was almost too much for so 
young a frame. He lost appetite and slowly de- 
clined, notwithstanding the doctor’s utmost care. 

This state of things continuing until the ‘ Firefly ’ 
arrived at the Seychelles, Obo was at once con- 
veyed to the hospital which we have referred to as 
having been established there. 

Azint4 chanced to be absent in the neighbouring 
town on some errand connected with her duties as 
nurse when her boy was laid on his bed beside a 
number of similar sufferers. It was a sad sight to 
behold these little ones. Out of the original eighty- 
three children who had been placed there forty- 
seven had died in three weeks, and the remnant 
were still in a pitiable condition. While on their 
beds of pain, tossing about in their delirium, the 


400 


BLACK IVORY. 


minds of these little ones frequently ran back to 
their forest homes, and while some, in spirit, 
laughed and romped once more around their huts, 
thousands of miles away on the banks of some 
African river, others called aloud in their sufferings 
for the dearest of all earthly beings to them — their 
mothers. Some of them also whispered the name 
of Jesus, for the missionary had been careful to 
tell them the story of our loving Lord while tending 
their poor bodies. 

Obo had fevered slightly, and in the restless half- 
slumber into which he fell on being put to bed, he, 
too, called earnestly for his mother. In his case, 
poor child, the call was not in vain ! 

Lieutenant Lindsay and the doctor of the ship, 
with Kambira, had accompanied Obo to the hospital - 

“ Now, Lindsay,” said the doctor, when the child 
had been made as comfortable as circumstances 
would admit of, “this man must not be left here, 
for he will be useless, and it is of the utmost con- 
sequence that the child should have some days 
of absolute repose. What shall we do with him ? ” 

“Take him on board again,” said Lindsay. “I 
daresay we shall find him employment for a short 
time.” 

“ If you will allow me to take charge of him,” inter- 
posed the missionary, who was standing by them at 
the time, “ I can easily find him employment in the 


BLACK IVORY. 


401 


neighbourhood, so that he can come occasionally to 
see his child when we think it safe to allow him/’ 

" That will be the better plan,” said the doctor, 
“ for as long as — ” 

A '■short sharp cry near the door of the room cut 
the sentence short. 

• All eyes were turned in that direction and they 
beheld Azinte gazing wildly at them, and standing 
as if transformed to stone. 

The instant Kambira saw his wife he leaped up 
as if he had received an electric shock, bounded 
forward like a panther, uttered a shout that did full 
credit to the chief of a warlike African tribe, and 
seized Azinte in his arms ! 

No wonder that thirty-six little black heads 
leaped from thirty- six little white pillows and dis- 
played all the whites of seventy-two eyes that were 
anything but little, when this astonishing scene 
took place ! 

But Kambira quickly recovered himself, and, 
grasping Azinte by the arm, led her gently towards 
the bed which had just been occupied, and pointed 
to the little one that slumbered uneasily there.- 
Strangely enough, just at the moment, little Obo 
again whispered the word * mother/ 

Poor Azint^’s eyes seemed ready to start from 
their sockets. She stretched out her arms and tried 
to rush towards her child, but Kambira held her back. 


402 


BLACK IVORY. 


“Obo is very sick,” be said, “you must touch 
him tenderly.” 

The chief looked into his wife’s eyes, saw that 
she understood him, and let her go. 

Azint6 crept softly to the bed, knelt down beside 
it, and put her arms so softly round Obo that she 
scarcely moved him, yet she gradually drew him 
towards her until his head rested on her swelling 
bosom, and she pressed her lips tenderly upon his 
brow. It was an old familiar attitude which seemed 
to pierce the slumbers of the child with a pleasant 
reminiscence, and dissipate his malady, for he heaved 
a deep sigh of contentment, and sank into profound 
repose. 

“ Good ! ” said the doctor, in a low tone, with a 
significant nod to Lindsay, when an interpreter had 
explained what had been already guessed by all 
present, that Kambira and Azintd were man and 
wife ; “ Obo has a better chance now of recovery 
than I had anticipated; for joy goes a long way 
towards effecting a cure. Come, we will leave them 
together.” 

Kambira was naturally anxious to remain, but, 
like all commanding spirits, he had long ago learned 
that cardinal virtue, “ obedience to whom obedience 
is due.” When it was explained to him that it 
would be for Obo’s advantage to be left alone 
with his mother for a time, he arose, bowed his 


BLACK IVORY. 


403 


head, and meekly .followed his friends out of the 
room. 

Exactly one week from that date little Oho had 
recovered so much of his former health that he was 
permitted to go out into the air, and, a few days 
later, Lieutenant Lindsay resolved to take him, 
and his father and mother, on board the ‘ Firefly/ 
by way of a little pioy. In pursuance of this 
plan he set off from the hospital in company with 
Kambira, followed at a short distance by Azinffi 
and Obo. 

Poor Lindsay ! his heart was heavy while he did 
his best to convey in dumb show his congratulations 
to Kambira, for he saw in this unexpected re-union 
an insurmountable difficulty in the way of taking 
Azint£ back to her former mistress — not that he 
had ever seen the remotest chance of his being able 
to achieve that desirable end before this difficulty 
arose, but love is at times insanely hopeful, just as 
at other times — and with equally little reason — it is 
madly despairing. 

He had just made some complicated signs with 
hands, mouth, and eyebrows, and had succeeded in 
rendering himself altogether incomprehensible to his 
sable companion, when, on rounding a turn of the 
x'Path that led to the harbour, he found himself 
suddenly face to face with Harold Seadrift, Disco 
Lillihammer. and their follower, Jumbo, all of whom 


404 


BLACK IVORY. 


had landed from a schooner, which, about an hour 
before, had cast anchor in the bay. 

“ Mr. Lindsay !” “ Mr. Seadrift !” exclaimed each 
to the other simultaneously, for the reader will re- 
member that they had met once before when our 
heroes were rescued from Yoosoof by the ‘ Firefly.’ 

“ Kambira !” shouted Disco. 

“ Azint4 !” cried Harold, as our sable heroine 
came into view. 

“ Obo !” roared the stricken mariner. 

Jumbo could only vent his feelings in an appalling 
yell and an impromptu war-dance round the party, 
in which he was joined by Disco, who performed a 
hornpipe with Obo in his arms, to the intense de- 
light of that convalescent youngster. 

Thus laughing, questioning, shouting, and dancing, 
they all effervesced towards the shore like a band of 
lunatics just escaped from Bedlam ! 


BLACK IVORY, 


405 


CHAPTER XXV. 

THE LAST. 

“ How comes it,” said Lieutenant Lindsay to 
Harold, on the first favourable opportunity that 
occurred after the meeting described in the last 
chapter ; “ how comes it that you and Kambira 
know each other so well ?” 

“ I might reply by asking,” said Harold, with a 
smile, A how comes it that you are so well acquainted 
with Azintd? but, before putting that question, I 
will give a satisfactory answer to your own.” 

Hereupon he gave a brief outline of those 
events, already narrated in full to the reader, which 
bore on his first meeting with the slave-girl, and his 
subsequent sojourn with her husband. 

" After leaving the interior,” continued our hero, 
“ and returning to the coast, I visited various towns 
in order to observe the state of the slaves in the 
Portuguese settlements, and, truly, what I saw was 
most deplorable — demoralization and cruelty, and 


406 


BLACK IVORY. 


the obstruction of lawful trade, prevailed every- 
where. The settlements are to my mind a very 
pandemonium on earth. Every one seemed to me 
more or less affected by the accursed atmosphere 
that prevails. Of course there must be some excep- 
tions. I met with one, at the last town I visited, in 
the person of Governor Letotti” 

“ Letotti !” exclaimed Lindsay, stopping abruptly. 

“ Yes !” said Harold, in some surprise at the 
lieutenant’s manner, “ and a most amiable man he 
was — ” 

“ Was ! — was ! What do you mean ? Is — is he 
dead ?” exclaimed Lindsay, turning pale. 

“ He died suddenly just before I left,” said 
Harold. 

“ And Maraquita — I mean his daughter — what 
of her ?” asked the lieutenant, turning as red as he 
had previously turned pale. 

Harold noted the change, and a gleam of light 
seemed to break upon him as he replied : — 

“ Poor girl, she was overwhelmed at first by the 
heavy blow. I had to quit the place almost imme- 
diately after the event.” 

“ Did you know her well ?” asked Lindsay, with 
an uneasy glance at his companion’s handsome face 

“ No ; I had just been introduced to her shortly 
before her father’s death, and have scarcely ex- 
changed a dozen, sentences with her. It is said that 


•BLACK IVORY. 


407 


her father died in debt, but of course in regard to 
that I know nothing certainly. At parting, she told 
me that she meant to leave the coast and go to 
stay with a relative at the Cape.” 

The poor lieutenant’s look on hearing this was so 
peculiar, not to say alarming, that Harold could not 
help referring to it, and Lindsay was so much over- 
whelmed by such unexpected news, and, withal, so 
strongly attracted by Harold’s sympathetic manner, 
that he straightway made a confidant of him, told 
him of his love for Maraquita, of Maraquita’s love 
for Azint£, of the utter impossibility of his being 
able to take Azint4 back to her old mistress, now 
that she had found her husband and child, even if 
it had been admissible for a lieutenant in the British 
navy to return freed negroes again into slavery, and 
wound up with bitter lamentations as to his un- 
happy fate, and expressions of poignant regret that 
fighting and other desperate means, congenial and 
easy to his disposition, were not available in the 
circumstances. After which explosion he subsided, 
felt ashamed of having thus committed himself, and 
looked rather foolish. 

But Harold quickly put him at his ease. He 
entered on the subject with earnest gravity. 

“ It strikes me, Lindsay,” he said thoughtfully, 
after the lieutenant had finished, “ that I can aid 
you in this affair ; iut you must not ask me how at 


408 


BLACK IVORY. 


present. Give me a few hours to think over it, and 
then I shall have matured my plans.” 

Of course the lieutenant hailed with heartfelt 
gratitude the gleam of hope held out to him, and 
thus the friends parted for a time. 

That same afternoon Harold sat under a palm- 
tree in company with Disco, Jumbo, Kambira, 
Azinte, and Obo. 

“How would you like to go with me to the 
Cape of Good Hope, Kambira V* asked Harold 
abruptly. 

“ Whar &at ?” asked the chief through Jumbo. 

“Tar away to the south of Africa,” answered 
Harold. “You know that you can never go back 
to your own land now, unless you want to be again 
enslaved.” 

“ Him say him no’ want to go back,” interpreted 
Jumbo; “got all him care for now-t-Azint4 and 
Obo r 

“ Then do you agree to go with me ? ” said Harold. 

To this Kambira replied heartily that he did. 

“ W’y, wot do ’ee mean for to do with ’em V* asked 
Disco, in some surprise. 

“I will get them comfortably settled there,” 
replied Harold. “My father has a business friend 
in Cape Town who will easily manage to put me in 
the way of doing it. Besides, I have a particular 
reason for wishing to take Azint4 there. — -Ask her, 


BLACK IVORY. 


409 


J umbo, if she remembers a young lady named 
Senhorina Maraquita Letotti.” 

To this Azinte replied that she did, and the way 
in which her eyes sparkled proved that she remem- 
bered her with intense pleasure. 

“ Well, tell her,” rejoined Harold, “ that Maraquita 
has grieved very much at losing her, and is very 
anxious to get her back again — not as a slave, but as 
a friend, for no slavery is allowed in English settle- 
ments anywhere, and I am sure that Maraquita hates 
slavery as much as I do, though she is not English, 
so I intend to take her and Kambira and Obo to 
the Cape, where Maraquita is living — or will be 
living soon.” 

“Ye don’t stick at trifles, sir,” said Disco, whose 
eyes, on hearing this, assumed a thoughtful, almost 
a troubled look. 

“My plan does not seem to please you,” said Harold. 

“ Please me, sir, w’y shouldn’t it please me ? In 
course you knows best ; I was only a little puzzled, 
that’s all.” 

Disco said no more, but he thought a good deal, 
for he had noted the beauty and sprightliness of 
Maraquita, and the admiration with which Harold 
had first beheld her, and it seemed to him that 
this rather powerful method of attempting to gratify 
the Portuguese girl was proof positive that Harold 
had lost his Iieart to her. 


410 


BLACK IVORY. 


Harold guessed wliat was running in Disco’s 
mind, but did not care to undeceive him, as, in so 
doing, he might run some risk of betraying the* trust 
reposed in him by Lindsay. 

The captain of the schooner, being bound for the 
Cape after visiting Zanzibar, was willing to take 
these additional passengers, and the anxious lieu- 
tenant was induced to postpone total and irrevoc- 
able despair, although, Maraquita being poor, and 
he being poor, and promotion in the service being 
very slow, he had little reason to believe his pro- 
spects much brighter than they were before, — poor 
fellow ! 

Time passed on rapid wing — as time is notoriously 
prone to do — and the fortunes of our dramatis per- 
sonae varied somewhat. 

Captain Eomer continued to roam the Eastern 
seas, along with brother captains, and spent his 
labour and strength in rescuing a few hundreds of 
captives from among the hundreds of thousands 
that were continually flowing out of unhappy Africa. 
Yoosoof and Moosa continued to throw a boat-load or 
two of damaged “ cattle ” in the way of the British 
cruisers, as a decoy, and succeeded on the whole 
pretty well in running full cargoes of valuable Black 
Ivory to the northern markets. The Sultan of 
Zanzibar continued to -assure the British Consul 


BLACK IVORY. 


411 


that lie heartily sympathized with England in her 
desire to abolish slavery, and to allow his officials, 
for a “consideration,” to prosecute the slave-trade 
to any extent they pleased ! Portugal continued to 
assure England of her sympathy and co-operation 
in the good work of repression, and her subjects 
on the east coast of Africa continued to export 
thousands of slaves under the protection of the 
Portuguese and French flags, styling them free 
engages. British-Indian subjects — -the Banyans of 
Zanzibar, — continued to furnish the sinews of war 
which kept the gigantic trade in human flesh going 
on merrily. Murders, etc., continued to be perpe- 
trated, tribes to be plundered, and hearts to be 
broken — of course “legally” and “domestically,” 
as well as piratically — during this rapid flight of 
time. 

But nearly everything in this life has its bright 
lights and half- tints, as well as its deep shadows. 
During the same flight of time, humane individuals 
have continued to urge on the good cause of the 
total abolition of slavery, and Christian mission- 
aries have continued, despite the difficulties of slave- 
trade, climate, and human apathy, to sow here and 
there on the coasts the precious seed of Gospel 
truth, which we trust shall yet be sown broad-cast 
by native hands, throughout the length and breadth 
of that mighty land. 


412 


BLACK IVORY. 


To come more closely to the subjects of our tale : 
Chimbolo, with his recovered wife and child, sought 
safety from the slavers in the far interior, and con- 
tinued to think with pleasure and gratitude of the 
two Englishmen who hated slavery and who had 
gone to Africa just in the nick of time to rescue that 
unhappy slave who had been almost flogged to death, 
and was on the point of being drowned in the Zam- 
besi in a sack. Mokompa, also, continued to poetize, 
as in days gone by, having made a safe retreat with 
Chimbolo, and, among other things, enshrined all the 
deeds of the two white men in native verse. Yambo 
continued to extol, play, admire, and propagate the 
life-sized jumping-jack to such an -extent that, 
unless his career has been cut short by the slavers, 
we fully expect to find that creature a “ domestic 
institution’' when the slave-trade has been crushed, 
and Africa opened up — as in the end it is certain 
to be. 

During the progress and continuance of all these 
things, you may be sure our hero was not idle. He 
sailed as proposed, with Kambira, Azinte, Obo, 
Disco, and Jumbo for Zanzibar, touched at the town 
over which poor Senhor Francisco Alfonso Toledo 
Bignoso Letotti had ruled, found that the Senhorina 
had taken her departure ; followed, as Disco said, in 
her wake ; reached the Cape, hunted her up, found 
her out, and presented: to her, with Lieutenant 


BLACK IVORY. 


413 


Lindsay’s compliments, the African chief Kambira, 
his wife Azinte, and his son Obo ! 

Poor Maraqnita, being of a passionately affec- 
tionate and romantic disposition, went nearly mad 
with joy, and bestowed so many grateful glances 
and smiles on Harold that Disco’s suspicions were 
confirmed, and that bold mariner wished her, Mara- 
quita, “ at the bottom of the sea !” for Disco disliked 
foreigners, and could not bear the thought of his 
friend being caught by one of them. 

Maraquita introduced Harold to her aunt, a 
middle-aged, leather-skinned, excessively dark-eyed 
daughter of Portugal. She also introduced him to 
a bosom friend, at that time on a visit to her aunt. 
The bosom friend was an auburn-haired, fair-skinned, 
cheerful-spirited English girl Before her, Harold 
Seadrift at once, without an instant’s warning, fell 
flat down, figuratively speaking of course, and 
remained so— stricken through the heart ! 

The exigencies of our tale require, at this point, 
that we should draw our outline with a bold and 
rapid pencil 

Disco Lillihammer was stunned,* and so was 
Jumbo, when Harold, some weeks after their 
arrival at the Cape, informed them that he was 
engaged to be married to Alice Gray, only daugh- 
ter of the late Sir Eustace Gray, who had been 
M.P. for some county in England, which he had 


414 


BLACK IVORY, 


forgotten the name of, Alice not having been able 
to recall it, as her father had died when she was 
four years old, leaving her a fortune of next-to- 
nothing a year, and a sweet temper. 

Being incapable of further stunning. Disco was 
rather revived than otherwise, and his dark- shadow 
was resuscitated, when Harold added that Kambira 
had become Maraquita’s head-gardener, Azint4 cook 
to the establishment, and Obo page-in-waiting — 
more probably., page-in-jnischief — to the young 
Senhorina. But both Disco and Jumbo had a 
relapse from which they were long of recovering, 
when Harold went on to say that he meant to sail 
for England by the next mail, take Jumbo with 
him as valet, make proposals to his father to esta- 
blish a branch of their house at the Cape, come 
back to manage the branch, marry Alice, and 
reside in the neighbourhood of the Senhorina Mara- 
quita Letotti’s dwelling. 

“ You means wot you say, I s’pose ?” asked Disco. 

“Of course I do,” said Harold. 

“ An’ yer goin’ to take Jumbo as yer walley ?” 

“Yes” 

“ H’m ; I ’ll go too as yer- keeper.” 

“ My what ?” 

“Yer keeper — yer strait-veskit - buckler, for if 
you ain’t a loonatic ye ought to be.” 

But Disco did not go to England in that- capacity. 


BLACK IVORY. 


415 


He remained at the Cape to assist Kambira, at the 
express command of Maraquita ; and continued there 
until Harold returned, bringing Lieutenant Lindsay 
with him as a partner in the business ; until Harold 
was married and ..required a gardener for his own 
domain ; until the Senhorina became Mrs. Lindsay ; 
until a large and thriving band of little Cape 
colonists found it necessary to have a general story- 
teller and adventure-recounter with a nautical turn 
of mind ; until, in short, he found it convenient to go 
to England himself for the gal of his heart who had 
been photographed there years -before, and could be 
rubbed off neither by sickness, sunstroke, nor ad- 
versity. 

When Disco had returned to the colony with the 
original of the said photograph, and had fairly settled 
down on his own farm, then it was that he was 
wont at eventide to assemble the little colonists 
round him, light his pipe, and, through its hazy 
influence, recount his experiences, and deliver his 
opinions on the slave-trade of East Africa. Some- 
times he was pathetic, sometimes humorous, but> 
however jocular he might be on other subjects, he 
invariably became very grave and very earnest 
when he touched on the latter theme. 

“ There ’s only one way to cure it,” he was wont 
to say, “ and that is, to bring the Portuguese and 
Arabs to their marrow-bones; put the fleet on the 


416 


BLACK IVORY. 


east coast in better workin’ order ; have consuls 
everywhere, with orders to keep their weather-eyes 
open to the slave-dealers ; start two or three British 
settlements — ports o’ refuge — on the mainland ; hoist 
the Union Jack, and, last, but not least, send ’em the 
Bible.” 

We earnestly commend the substance of Disco’s 
opinions to the reader, for there is urgent need for 
action. There is death where life should be ; ashes 
instead of beauty ; desolation in place of fertility, 
and, even while we write, terrible activity in the 
horrible traffic in— “ Black Ivory.” 


THE END. 











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